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Budget Ax Threatens Elim

reprinted from Southtown Star

Jun 17, 2009

By Maura Possley, Staff Writer
Stathia Xanos knows if nothing is done to restore billions cut from the state budget this year, she and her husband will be in dire straits to ensure care of their son Nicholas.

Disabled with Down syndrome and cerebral palsy, Nicholas, 21, needs constant care. His parents receive about $1,000 a month from the state to help. During the week, Nicholas attends Elim Christian School in Palos Heights.

But the Orland Park family now find themselves on the brink of losing that support under the $9.2 billion in cuts under the state’s budget.

Gov. Pat Quinn is taking on lawmakers to pass an income tax increase to prevent the doomsday scenario he’s outlined, slashing social services throughout the state to make ends meet.

When Nicholas Xanos finishes school next year, his parents will struggle to find a place for him to get the round-the-clock care that under this budget likely won’t be there, his mother said.

“My son needs a lot of exercise and range of motion so he won’t become bed-ridden,” said Stathia Xanos. “We’re elderly parents and it’s very hard for us to keep him busy and happy here. It’s not fair to him, it’s not fair to us; there’s nothing for him at all.”

Senior support threatened

Falling under this year’s budget ax, too, is senior support. Quinn’s office has said only seniors on Medicaid would be allowed to continue using the community care program, cutting hundred of seniors in the Southland from the program.

The South Suburban Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse expects to lose $3 million to $4 million state funding – about half its total $7 million budget, said president and chief executive officer Allen Sandusky.

Cuts would force the council to reduce the number of people it serves from 3,000 to 1,000.

And it will also only accept people with health insurance, Medicaid or those who self-pay. It can’t afford the indigent, Sandusky said.

The people left out in the cold will create a domino effect that will cost the state more in the end – domestic violence, traffic accidents, crime will all rise as a result, Sandusky said.

“The clients are going to ask us, ‘Where do we go?” he said. “I’m not sure what to tell them other than that’s a question you need to ask your legislators. The costs of not treating substance abuse is greater than the costs of treating it.”

The United Way estimates under the budget many social service agencies will have two weeks, once the new fiscal year takes affect, before they’ll be forced to shut their doors. The organization raises about $100 million for agencies in Illinois.

“Even with all the funds we raise we’re nowhere near the amount the state is talking about cutting,” said James Washington, chief professional officer of South-Southwest Suburban United Way. “Even if we double our efforts, that’s nothing.”

General Assembly standoff

Legislative leaders plan to meet today with Quinn, who is considering calling a special session soon to deal with the budget crisis.

But Southland Sen. Christine Radogno (R-Lemont), minority leader for the chamber, said the governor has not met Republican demands for pension and Medicaid reforms to the governmental process before negotiating a final budget.

“None of that has occurred,” she said Tuesday.

There is a possibility the Legislature could be called to Springfield to implement a temporary budget for human services, she said, to avoid these drastic cuts.

“This is an appalling shakedown of the human service providers and constituents,” Radogno said of Quinn’s negotiating tactics. “Threatening them until they feel they have no choice but a tax increase. It’s just unconscionable in my view.”

Maura Possley can be reached at or (708) 633-5993.

Quinn’s proposed to close budget gap by cutting community-provided services by $5 billion and state-provided services by $4.2 billion.

Those cuts, according to his office, would set off a chain reaction of cuts:

• Eliminate vital services for families.

• Force layoffs of more than 10,000 state workers.

• Cost the state $2 billion in lost federal matching funds this year.

• Endanger up to $3 billion in federal stimulus funds over the next two years because the stimulus money is meant to match state spending.