Letter To Speaker Madigan

GENERAL ASSEMBLY ST A TE OF ILLINOIS HOUSE OF REPRESENT A TIVES

The Honorable Michael 1. Madigan Speaker of the House House of Representatives State Capitol Room 300 Springfield, Illinois 62706

Thank you for your candor in explaining the State's dire fiscal condition, and the difficult decisions that we must address before adjourning on May 31, 2009. We offer our support for working with you and your staff to resolve the state's fiscal crisis. We recognize the need for identifying efficiencies in the FY 2010 State budget. But, we are opposed to any budget plan that reduces GRF appropriations in most State agencies by 25% below the fiscal year 2009 level. This doomsday budget will endanger an already fragile safety net for Illinois' most vulnerable populations - children living in poverty, senior citizens, and the disabled. And, a 25% reduction to State Police and the Department of Corrections could potentially threaten the public safety of Illinois citizens. Finally, many State programs are preventative in nature; severe cuts to these programs could, in future years,. create additional pressures on the State budget. Drastic budget cuts may have the unintended consequence of prolonging the recession by increasing 'unemployment rates and reducing aggregate demand for goods and services. As mentioned above, we are eager to work with you to develop an alternative to the doomsday budget proposal. To that end we offer our support for fair revenue enhancements, identifying efficiencies in the base budget, and protecting the core of the State's safety net and prevention programs.

William Davis, Representative Marlow Colvin, Representative Ken Dunkin, Representative William Burns, Representative

Esther Golar, Representative Arthur Turner, Representative Al Riley, Representative David Miller, Representative

LaShawn Ford, Representative Eddie Washington, Representative Deborah Graham, Representative Chuck Jefferson, Representative

cc: Honorable Governor Pat Quinn Senate President John Cullerton Chief of Staff Tim Mapes

Eddie Jackson, Representative Annazette Collins, Representative Constance Howard, Representative Andre Thapedi, Representative

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13, 2009 to the Honorable

Michael

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