Call
your Cook County Commissioners today - letter from Congressman Danny Davis and
Quentin Young
Click here
to read our letter to President Stroger.
Health
and Medicine Policy Research Group met with Congressman Davis on Sunday 2/18
to discuss the proposed budget cuts to the Cook County Bureau of Health
Services. As a result of the meeting, Congressman Davis and Quentin Young,
along with a number of colleagues, have sent a letter today to President
Stroger, calling upon him to preserve and protect at all cost crucial Bureau
of Health Services functions – the Ambulatory and Community Health Network,
Cermak Health Services and the Cook County Department of Public Health.
We are
asking you to call your Cook County Commissioner today and ask them to
preserve and protect these services as well(you can lookup your commissioner at http://www.civicfootprint.org/).. Please feel free to send them the
letter here,
or use the information to draft your own letter to President Stroger and the
Cook County Commissioners. The Board will begin debating the budget on
Thursday February 22nd, and passage may happen by Wednesday
February 28th.
We have
also been told that 800 lay-off notices were sent out yesterday to Cook County
employees. This is a very critical situation that needs all of our input at
this time. Thank you for your continued support on this very important matter.
Click
here for upcoming meetings and hearing dates.
Click here for HMPRG's analysis of the
2007 budget. (Please email rcohen@hmprg.org
or call 312.372.4292 if you are having trouble downloading the budget analysis)
The Cook County 2007 budget was
released on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 and is now available online for
your review at http://www.cookcountygov.com/2007_budget2.htm.
The deadline for it to be approved is Wednesday, February 28th.
Health and Medicine is currently analyzing the budget to determine the
health implications of the budget cuts, with a particular focus on
maternal and child health, school health and prison health. We are in
the process of drafting letters and testimony and I encourage you to act
now and do the same. It is of utmost importance for all of us to let
President Stroger, the Cook County Board of Commissioners and the local
press know the detrimental effects of these cuts.
Please review the list of hearing dates and community events below.
Forward this information to people in your networks who will come out
and make their voices heard to oppose these drastic cuts. Contact
information for the President and the Commissioners can be found at www.cookcountygov.com.
Our initial reactions to the budget:
Significant cuts to essential
services is too much
We need competent management; an
overhaul of the system is necessary but not on the backs of the poor
and uninsured through cuts in service providers and clinics
Drastic hasty measures will lead
to chaos that cannot be undone.
Revenue enhancing measures need
to be prioritized, such as an improved billing system, and advocacy
with the state to receive a higher proportion of the Budget
Improvement Patient Protection Act of 2000 funds (state is currently
taking 65% and county is taking 35%)
Cook County Board Budget Debate begins
February 22nd - likely to be voted on by February 28th First
Budget Debate: Date/Time: Thursday, February 22 Place: Cook County Building, 118
N. Clark, Chicago When: 10AM
On Thursday February 22nd at 10:00am the Cook County
Board will meet to discuss and vote on the Fiscal Year 2007 Budget.
CountyBoard President Todd Stroger has announced plans to veto the
budget amendment if
it restores the 14 clinics and school-based clinics earmarked for
closure. Fourteen Commissioners support restoring frontline workers
to the budget and we need to encourage them to keep their
commitment.
Your presence during board meetings will remind the commissioners of their
commitment to maintain vital services at the Bureau.
Please get involved, call local
district commissioners, and participate in the hearings and rallies. We
need a large mobilization in order to make a difference.
Health and Medicine Policy Research Group
29 East Madison Street, Suite 602
Chicago, Illinois 60602-4404
TEL 312 372.4292
FAX 312 372.2753
E-mail: info@HMPRG.org
Problems, questions, or comments about us our web pages? E-mail: rcohen@HMPRG.org
