Protect Important Services from Unnecessary Cuts!

On Tuesday, January 27, Governor Paterson, Speaker Silver and Majority Leader Smith announced that the legislature would vote next week on a Deficit Reduction Plan (DRP) for the current fiscal year (ending March 31, 2009). 

While the details of the plan may be subject to change, the legislation (A.163/S.250) identifies programs that will be cut by nearly 50%.  These include child care programs, HIV/AIDS programs, services for older adults, services for runaway and homeless youth, after school programs, newborn home visiting, and funds for CUNY. 

THESE CUTS ARE IMMEDIATE!

The Deficit Reduction Plan is not a fair and balanced approach to solving our State’s fiscal crisis. The Plan should not be approved because:

• There has been no serious analysis about how these cuts will hurt already fragile community services.
• It is unwise to approve massive cuts before the details of the Federal Stimulus Package are known.  The Stimulus Package, now being debated in Congress, will provide funding for New York State so that it can reduce not only next year’s deficit but this year’s deficit as well. It would be irresponsible for the State to cut programs and services mid-year when the federal stimulus plan is designed to prevent those very cuts.
• There are other, less damaging ways to plug this year’s budget deficit, including use of the State’s rainy day funds (the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund alone has $1 billion). In his own budget, the Governor identified approximately $600 million worth of reserves. 

Our common traditions share the conviction that God is outraged over the plight of people living in poverty, judges those in authority who neglect their responsibility to the poor, and is moved with compassion to deliver the poor. As the Psalmist wrote: "Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute" (Psalm 82:3).

The New York State Council of Churches' Principles for Ethical Budget Decisions (you can read them all here) underscore the Biblical witness. The first three principles affirm:

1) Every human being has dignity and worth by their very personhood.
2) The common good needs to be considered in all deliberations and policy decisions.
3) Providing for basic human needs benefits all of society.

It would be irresponsible for legislators to support this bill.  Call your State Assembly members and Senators in Albany and in their district office today. If you don't know who your State Senator and/or State Assemblymember are, you can look them up here.

You can call them through the legislative switchboards:

Assembly switchboard: 518-455-4100

Senate switchboard: 518-455-2800

Here's a sample of what you might tell your legislators:

I am a member of _______  Church in [location]. My church teaches that God is concerned particularly with people in poverty, and it is a responsibility of government to safeguard people at risk.

The Deficit Reduction Plan (A.163/S.250), coming up soon for a vote, contradicts your responsibility. It would cut child care programs, HIV/AIDS programs, services for older adults, services for runaway and homeless youth, after school programs, newborn home visiting, and funds for the City University of New York.

Don't cut programs that serve poor and working families at a time when they are already struggling. I urge you to act responsibly and wait for the passage of the federal stimulus package and use the State’s reserve funds to balance this year’s budget gap. You can plug this year’s budget deficit without devastating critical services.