Springfield Mayoral Race: The Disability Vote

Today is Election Day, and it is not just in Chicago. The Springfield mayoral primary is also today, February 22. There are eight candidates running for the four ballot positions for the general election on April 5. Though there are some front-runners, as in Chicago, the race is still wide open. Since four names will appear on the ballot, a mere plurality of the vote is all one candidate needs to become Springfield's next Mayor.

Several disability rights groups and service providers put together a questionnaire regarding disability issues pertinent to the Springfield area. Each candidate received a copy of the questionnaire and a deadline to return it. Unfortunately, only three candidates returned the form. With only four questions, it would seem all the candidates could have found the time to fill out and return the questionnaire. Yet, to their credit, Mike Houston, Sheila Stocks-Smith, and Michael Farmer answered all the questions and returned the questionnaire in a timely manner. The five other candidates—Mike Coffey, Jr., Frank Kunz, William McCarty, John Thomas, and Mario Ingoglia—did not return the form and, therefore, provided no insight on their views regarding the disability community in the Springfield area.

While some people may not receive this information before voting in the primary, it is still very important to get these responses to the public and media alike. On March 26, at the First Presbyterian Church in Springfield, the same groups that supported the questionnaire will host a mayoral forum for the four candidates who won the primary and are on the ballot for the general election. As the time approaches, I will resend this information, if appropriate, along with any other information regarding disability issues put forth by the candidates.

I want to acknowledge Pete Roberts, the Executive Director of the Springfield Center for Independent Living (SCIL) for doing all the legwork for this activity. He and his staff made sure that all the candidates received the questionnaire and instructions on how to fill it out and where to send it. Pete deserves much of the credit for making sure this venture came together.

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Springfield Americans with Disabilities Vote

The following Mayoral Candidates did not respond to this questionnaire:
Mario Ingoglia, William D. McCarty, Frank Kunz, Mike Coffey, Jr., John G. Thomas.


1. Since 1985 Springfield has had a Disabilities Commission. Citizens with disabilities have been disappointed that the Commission has not been effective in addressing the concerns of citizens with disabilities and working with the city council to address and resolve such concerns.

As Mayor, what would you do to strengthen the Commission and hold it accountable?


Mike Houston:

I served as Mayor from 1979 to 1987 and proudly established the Disabilities Commission. Now decades later, although progress has been made, there still is a long way to go to meet the needs of the disability community. I would commit to attending your meetings as I am available or having an assistant from my office attend on a regular basis. My priority is to have open communications with the members of the Commission. I would solicit your suggestions for appointments to the Commission and maintain a full complement of ten appointees. Given the charge of the Disabilities Commission, I would request the Commission to prepare an annual report outlining the progress that is being made on making municipal facilities accessible. While the Commission deals with both public and private facilities, the City of Springfield needs to set an example for other governmental and private organizations.

Sheila Stocks-Smith:

I agree that Committees and Councils may not be functioning to their highest potential. If we seek citizen input through this venue, we need to make sure those recommendations are heard and acted upon. My administration will review all city boards and commissions and restructure as necessary, not only to ensure concrete outcomes, but to ensure diverse perspectives are represented across all boards and commissions.

Michael J. Farmer:

First, I would review the recent activities of the Commission and speak with each member of that Commission. If there is a need to an appoint individual(s) to the Commission who may enhance the awareness and help address the concerns expressed by citizens with disabilities, then this definitely should occur. I would review the Commission’s Transition Plan and work with the appointed city liaison to report specific concerns and any recommendations to resolve those concerns. Obviously, the city and the Commission will seek the advice of the Springfield Center for Independent Living (SCIL) to assist in an adequate and affordable resolution of identified concerns. As Mayor, I would request that all identified concerns and actions taken be shared with me on a regular basis to ensure the city acts upon the resolved concerns. It should be noted that the Office of Planning and Economic Development works closely with SCIL and utilized Community Development Block Grant funds for several ADA related projects.


2. Springfield has never designated a full-time Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator, who would be responsible on a daily basis for assuring that the city is in compliance with all appropriate provisions of the ADA including the Transition Plan.

Would you commit to appointing a full-time ADA Coordinator?


Mike Houston:

No, I would not make commitment. Given the city’s financial condition I do not see the possibility of adding such a position. We need to assess how the time of the current part-time ADA Coordinator is being used to determine if it can be used more effectively and if it is adequate.

Sheila Stocks-Smith:

I believe that my administration will provide the end result wanted by Springfieldians with Disabilities. However, I cannot promise a full-time ADA Coordinator until I review all positions within city government in light of the city’s fiscal problems.

Michael J. Farmer:

First, I believe a full-time ADA Coordinator would enhance our city’s ability to work with persons with disabilities and add to their overall quality of life. However, because of the current budget situation, the appointment of a full-time ADA Coordinator is unfortunately not feasible. That said, I see no reason why a current city employee(s) cannot increase his/her participation with the Commission and the SCIL to increase his/her awareness of the ADA and ADAA. If increased communication and awareness of ADA and ADAA requirements occur within the city and city council on a regular basis, the need for a full-time ADA Coordinator may not be necessary. The city could then spend more time focusing on the resolution of current and future concerns of citizens with disabilities.


3. In December 2010 the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics released disability employment statistics showing the percentage of people with disabilities in the labor force was 21.0. The percentage of people with no disability in the labor force is 69.6. The unemployment rate for those with disabilities is 14.3 percent compared to 8.9 percent for people with no disability (see www.disability.gov).

As Mayor, what will you do to ensure that, when promoting diversity in the city workforce, persons with disabilities are recognized as a desirable and viable minority resource and recruited and hired as such?


Mike Houston:

The City Code Chapter 36, Section 36.02 and Rules of the Springfield Civil Service Commission Rule 1.8 both contain the following language, “…or disability unrelated to the person’s ability to perform the duties of a particular position except where a bona fide occupational qualifications exist.” The City Code stipulates that persons referred to above are to be considered for city employment and they would be. I intend to hire people based on their qualifications and experience and would consider individuals with disabilities. Women, minorities, and people with disabilities will be encouraged to apply for positions.

Sheila Stocks-Smith:

The city’s workforce needs to reflect the people it serves. Diversity includes race, gender, disabilities, but also ability level, religion, age, sexual orientation, geography, ideology and more. Springfield is best served through inclusive policies and practices and I will model these standards by ensuring diversity among my staff and department directors. Achieving a diverse workforce will be a consideration in all new hires; efforts to promote city employment to underrepresented populations will be ongoing. In addition, my career has been spent working on community and educational issues, and I will also work to assure that people with disabilities also receive the workforce training they need to compete for the job sectors we will be fighting to grow.

Michael J. Farmer:

This question again speaks to the issue of awareness within the city workforce and the general population. As Mayor, I will see that the Commission’s Transition Plan is shared with the appropriate members of the city workforce to ensure that persons with disabilities are recognized as a viable resource for the city and businesses. While promoting diversity in the city workforce is important, the Mayor is in a unique position to promote hiring persons with disabilities with the Springfield business community. Organizations such as SCIL, SPARC, Hope School and UCP can assist in that effort as the identified business needs emerge, e.g. accommodation recommendations, janitorial services, shredding services.


4. Given the complexity of disability issues and the apparent lack of understanding among city employees and council members, would you, as Springfield Mayor, support the implementation of disability awareness/sensitivity training for all city employees and council members?


Mike Houston:

Absolutely, I would support the inclusion of disability issues as part of the existing orientation program. While I am not familiar with the specifics of the employee orientation or ongoing diversity awareness/sensitivity training, I believe it should include disabilities issues.

Sheila Stocks-Smith:

My administration will review employee training and ensure that awareness and sensitivity toward people with disabilities is included.

Michael J. Farmer:

Yes, I would definitely support and require the continuation of disability awareness/sensitivity training for all city employees. I would request that the council members participate in this training as well. It is important to note that all city employees were required to participate in sensitivity training last year, which included disability awareness. However, there may still be a need to review the information provided to city employees on disability awareness and offer more detailed information as recommended by the Disability Commission and/or SCIL. As Mayor, all new employees and newly promoted employees will be required to attend disability awareness/sensitivity training as part of their overall employee orientation. On a regular basis, the city workforce will be required to attend this training so current information on disability legislation, such as Rosa’s Law, awareness and best practices can be shared as persons with intellectual or cognitive disabilities or mental health challenges are integrated into the city and/or business community workforce.

Death by a Thousand Cuts

(What follows is a series of action alerts from CCDI, Illinois Works for the Future, and payourbills.illinois.gov, as well as fact sheets concerning Senate Bill 3 (SB 3) and what impact human services cuts would have on the disability community in Illinois. As usual, I offer a brief commentary before the alerts and description of cuts. Many of you may have already seen these alerts and responded to them. My goal is to reach others who have not had that opportunity and remind everyone that one phone call or one email is only the beginning and not the end of our efforts.)

Unfortunately, most of us have played this game before. Most of us have fought this battle either last year or some other time in the past. The problem, of course, is that the war never seems to end, and some of us get battle fatigue. No, this is definitely not the first time we have been down this road. We know we have months of work ahead of us, and we cannot begin to pull back now.

If anything I just said seems confusing, you only need to start paying attention to the Illinois state budget process. The Governor will lay out his proposed budget for the next fiscal year on Wednesday, February 16, during his budget address before the General Assembly. The first thing to remember is that this is merely a proposed budget and not the end result on which legislators will vote in May. We have much more gnashing of teeth before we reach that point. That said, many disability rights advocates are upset with several of the Governor's proposals.

Every year, regardless of administration, political party, constituencies, or makeup of the legislature, there seems to be a clarion call for budget cuts. Legislators and the Governor's office rush to find ways to slash "unnecessary" spending from the state's budget. This year is no different and, in fact, offers extra political pressure to make those kinds of cuts. Typically, the most drastic cuts come from human and social services, since legislators feel those are the easiest areas to cut. The constituencies usually receiving these services are the state's "most vulnerable" populations, which are defined as seniors, people with disabilities, single parents, and individuals living in poverty. Are these groups the "most vulnerable" people living in Illinois? That point is debatable, but the fact that most legislators feel that these citizens have no political voice is far more telling than if they were cutting benefits for union members.

It is time for this political mindset to end. People with disabilities, seniors, and individuals with low incomes have voices and advocates. We are not silent, and we are not pleased when we see our benefits reduced or taken completely from us before any other state agency or program is ever considered. We want what we have earned or been promised. This is not asking for handouts from the state government. This is reaping the rewards for decades of work or receiving opportunities to become productive members of society. Whether the fact is acknowledged or not, these "most vulnerable" populations continue to vote, continue to voice their opinions, and continue to make their presence felt in the state capitol.

I understand how easy it is to lose that "fire in the belly." It seems we end up fighting these battles every year. We all get tired, especially when we hear that, yet again, we are the targets of cuts by the state government and, in many cases, the federal government as well. Just when we think we dodged a barrage of draconian cuts to our very quality of life, we find ourselves squarely in the crosshairs again. It almost seems we are in perpetual movement just to avoid the government ax.

Yet, in many ways, that is the nature of advocacy. That is not to say disability rights advocates always find themselves seeking hiding places and fearing government cuts. However, it does mean this is a constant struggle, and just when we feel that we have won a major battle, another one rises over the horizon. Advocates are not weak at heart, and we definitely do not fall under the rubric of vulnerable. We fight these constant battles because we believe our vision of society is just and fair. We fight because we want independence and equality. We fight because no one else will and, sometimes, because no one else can. You cannot present yourself as a voice for the "most vulnerable" in our society, unless you can relate to the struggles they face. Advocates do that every day, and we will continue to do that, regardless of how many times we feel outnumbered or overwhelmed.

This is only the beginning of the Illinois political season. At times, it will seem like a carnival or circus. At other times, it will seem like an arena full of menacing lions. Yet, in the end, it is simply people arguing their case against other people who feel equally justified in their perspective. The point is we can never lose sight that this is not an all-out war, and not everyone is against us. We all must be smart in picking our battles and making sure we are unified in our approach. We have the numbers, and we are on the right side of the argument. We only need to stand together and make our case loudly and consistently.

Cutting the budget to the Department of Human Services (DHS) by as much as $250 million is wrong on many levels. We saw this same scenario last year, when Home Services in the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) faced service parameters and hourly cuts and the Division of Mental Health (DMH) experienced horrendous cuts to services. People suffered because of these cuts, and, yet, Illinois still found itself with a record deficit. Do we really need to reenact the same play again? It seems the ending remains the same.

However, unlike most years, the General Assembly finds itself with answers it usually lacks. In this session, there is a chance to pass SB 3. This borrowing bill would let the state pay its debts immediately and prevent vendors and providers from taking unnecessary bankruptcy because of backlogs of unpaid state bills. It would create jobs, and it would not cause the government to go bankrupt itself when paying back the loan. The information about this bill is located further down in this post. Still, it seems quite clear that when there is an alternative to slashing programs desperately needed by people across the state, our legislators should take that opportunity and make it a reality. Is this what they call a "no-brainer?" I think it is about as close as we can get.

Read the alerts below. If necessary, read them again. Call the numbers, and send the emails. If necessary, do it again. Make our voices heard. Let's put the automatic reaction of cutting social services in the backs of legislators' minds. Let's be proactive instead of reactive. Let's all take a deep breath and dive into advocacy again.

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Support Senate Bill 3 (Pay Our Bills) Fact Sheet

To stabilize the budget and grow jobs, Illinois must pay its bills, while continuing to improve education, health care, human services, and public safety.

The increased revenues passed by the General Assembly and signed into law this month are only one half of the package. We also need Senate Bill 3 to alleviate current burdens on state vendors, health care organizations, and social service organizations.

Debt restructuring is similar to consolidating credit card or loans. Senate Bill 3 allows us to pay our bills in a lump sum and save money, while we also have dedicated revenue streams to pay it back:

• The lender will pay all of Illinois bills now;

• Illinois will repay the lender over a period of 14 years;

• Repayment will come from the 0.5% of the revenue increase specifically set aside for
   this plan.

This is not ‘new borrowing.' This is a strategic restructuring to pay down debts already owed by the State of Illinois.

Why Restructure Our Existing Debt?

Pay Invoices Now ‐ Illinois takes (on average) six months to pay an invoice owed to a vendor, and eight months for group insurance repayment. Debt restructuring would allow service providers to be paid now, rather than in 2012.

Save 50,000 Jobs Annually – By failing to pay its bills, Illinois is costing itself jobs. Because of late payments, vendors, schools, and social service agencies are having trouble-making payroll, are laying off employees, and even closing their doors. By failing to pay its bills, Illinois is costing itself about 50,000 jobs annually (as well as their payroll taxes).

$8.7 Billion into the Economy – Debt restructuring would cause an $8.7 billion influx of funds into Illinois’ economy. This translates into jobs, as well as increased state and local revenues through payroll and sales taxes.

Save Money with Prompt Payment – Illinois is forced to pay penalties on late payments to vendors. In addition, Illinois’ failure to pay its bills has caused vendors to cancel contracts, force contract re‐negotiation at higher prices, or bid high to offset late payments. Prompt payment would encourage competitive bidding, saving millions annually.

Bolster Our Business Reputation ‐ Illinois’ fiscal woes have resulted in a bad reputation in the business community. Our continued failure to meet our obligations makes Illinois a risky prospect for business relocation/startup, especially a company that might do business with the State of Illinois.

Bond Ratings – Bond rating agencies have applauded our move to raise revenues, but rating agencies like Moody’s have called for a debt restructuring plan before they would upgrade our bond rating. Better bond ratings means Illinois can find lower interest rates, saving us hundreds of millions in higher interest costs.

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***HOME SERVICES CUTS ACTION ALERT***

The Illinois Governor’s office is reportedly considering $250 million in budget cuts to the Department of Human Services (DHS). This means they are looking at cuts to all services offered by DHS, INCLUDING HOME SERVICES. They are thinking about limiting the number of hours of home services people receive, so the state can save money.

YOU can take action TODAY. Many people with disabilities depend on home services to be able to live at home in their communities. We must speak up now and let the Governor’s office know we care about home services. They have not yet made a final decision, so now is the time to speak up!

Below are phone numbers and emails you can use to get in touch with the Governor’s office. When you call or write, tell them your name, where you live, your connection to the disability community, and why home services should not be cut. Make sure they know that home services SAVE the state money!

Please contact:

Governor Quinn, (217) 782-0244 (Springfield) or (312) 814-2121 (Chicago), or email him at http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/Pages/ContacttheGovernor.aspx

David Vaught, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), (217) 782-4520 or gomb@illinois.gov

OMB’s Health Care and Human Services division, (217) 782-3105

DHS Secretary Michelle Saddler, (312) 793-1547 (Chicago) or (217) 557-1601 (Springfield), or michelle.saddler@illinois.gov (Please remember that Michelle really wants to know people’s personal home services stories so writing her with your story is a very good idea---she can best advocate for us if she has good stories from our people.)

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CALL/EMAIL YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS TODAY!

SUPPORT SB 3

The Illinois legislature is currently considering SB 3, which is a bill to restructure Illinois’ debt. The state government put out the following fact sheet on SB 3 with the details: https://www2.illinois.gov/gov/payourbills/Documents/Fact%20Sheet.pdf. The bill would pay outstanding debts to state vendors and take advantage of the recent tax increase. It is very important to let our state legislators know that we want the    to support SB 3—especially Republican leadership.

Take action and support every person with a disability in the state of Illinois who uses community-based services. This bill matters to every CIL, every clinic, and every provider that uses state funds to keep people with disabilities in the community.

TAKE ACTION

Once more, please pick up your phone today to make a call, or use your computer to send an email. The sooner, the better as this bill is in motion.

Please contact your own state senator and state representative (see http://www.elections.il.gov/districtlocator/districtofficialsearchbyaddress.aspx to look them up) or go to http://www.ccdionline.org/ and click on "legislative action center.” Also, please contact some of the Republican leaders in the list below. They are key to passing SB 3.

The message is simple: SAVE ILLINOIS SOCIAL SERVICES BY SIGNING ON TO SB 3!

Key Senate Republican Leaders:

Senator Christine Radogno: (217) 782-9407, (630) 243-0800, cradogno@sbcglobal.net

Senator Dale Righter: (217) 782-6674, (217) 235-6033, http://www.dalerighter.com/

Senator J. Bradley Burzynski: (217) 782-1977, (815) 895-6318, senatorbrad@frontier.com

Senator John O. Jones: (217) 782-0471, (618) 242-9511, http://jones.senategop.org/

Senator David Luechtefeld: (217) 782-8137, (618) 243-9014, http://www.luechtefeld.senategop.org/

Senator Dave Syverson: (217) 782-5413, (815) 987-7555, info@senatordavesyverson.com

Senator Matt Murphy: (217) 782-4471, (847) 776-1490, SenatorMattMurphy@gmail.com

Senator Dale Risinger: (217) 782-1942, (309) 693-4921, senatorrisinger@yahoo.com

Key House Republican Leaders:

Representative Tom Cross: (217) 782-1331, (815) 254-0000 tom@tomcross.com

Representative David Leitch: (217) 782-8108, (309) 690-7373, davidleitch@ameritech.net

Representative Tim Schmitz: (217) 782-5457, (630) 845-9590, info@timschmitz.org

Representative Mark Beaubien: (217) 782-1517, (847) 487-5252, strepbeaubien@sbcglobal.net

Representative Dan Brady: (217) 782-1118, (309) 662-1100, dan@rep-danbrady.com

Representative Jim Durkin: (217) 782-0494, (708) 352-7700, jimd@ilga.gov

Representative Renee Kosel: (217) 782-0424, (708) 479-4200, rkosel@ilga.gov

Representative Ron Stephens: (217) 782-6401, ron@repstephens.com

Representative JoAnn Osmond: (217) 782-8151, (847) 838-6200 http://joannosmond.com/

Representative Jim Watson: (217) 782-1840, (217) 243-6221, jimwatson@localnetco.com

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DRASTIC CUTS ARE IMMINENT

Governor Quinn is threatening cuts to work supports and other services for our state’s most vulnerable families. While cuts to other departments are also on the table, right now the Department of Human Services is planning to:

1. Reduce employment and training services for TANF recipients by cutting contracts by 10%

2. Eliminate assistance for the poorest children who live with non-relative legal guardians

3. Eliminate the TANF work and training exemption for single moms caring for children under age one

4. Eliminate Transitional assistance for non-employable single adults.

5. Repeal reforms that improved access to assistance for struggling families, including the repeal of HB 1800 and the “no wrong door” policy.

Because the current budget includes artificially low appropriations (allotment) levels, the rate of current spending means that the state will run out and Governor does not have the authority to spend more. While there are efforts to pass a supplemental appropriations bill that would authorize more spending, we cannot depend on its passage.

Right now, we must work with other advocates to stop the Governor’s attempts to make these cuts. What you can do now:

1) Contact the Governor’s office (217/782-0244 or 312/814-2121) and call your legislators. Demand they take these cuts off the table—instead they must find solutions that cause no further harm to hard-working families, children, seniors, people with disabilities, or to the economic recovery of our state.

2) Attend the Senate Committee on Humans Services Hearing on Tuesday, February 15th, and voice your opposition and explain the devastating impact more cuts to human services would have on the families and communities you serve. The hearing is currently scheduled for 10:45 in Room 400 of the Capitol Building in Springfield.

We are working with fellow advocates to try to stop these cuts stemming from the Governor’s office and crafting additional strategies to respond to these harmful budget proposals. We will keep you informed about further actions you can take.

Paying the State’s Debt

The state still owes $6 billion dollars to providers around the state who have already delivered essential services and remain burdened with these unpaid bills. Passage of Senate Bill 3 would restructure the state’s debt so it can finally make good on its obligation to its vendors. If you wish to learn more about SB 3, click here for a fact sheet prepared by Voices for Illinois Children. We will keep you posted about the progress of the bill.

FY 2012 State Budget

In the midst of dealing with proposed cuts to and unpaid bills from the current budget, the Governor will propose next year’s budget on February 16th. It will continue to be vitally important that lawmakers understand the need to continued investment in the social structures that keeps our economy going, including the very services at risk for cuts now. We will be monitoring the budget proposal and appropriations process as decisions are being made, and will keep you posted on opportunities for you to weigh in. The Governor’s proposed FY2012 budget will be posted on the Office of Management and Budget’s website, along with information on current and previous budgets.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Becker Mouhcine at Illinois Works for the Future at 312-252-0460 ext 301.