Letter: Treat Our Most Vulnerable Citizens as Human Beings
Letter to Chicago Tribune - July 2, 2009How sad for our state that a spokesperson for Speaker Madigan would go on record saying that legislative leaders decided to "treat members as if they're human beings" and schedule a special session at a time that causes "the least amount of disruption to their lives" (Quinn vetoes part of state budget, July 1). At the same time, thousands of human services workers are losing their jobs, low-income parents worry that their children won't be able to go to preschool in the fall, and early childhood programs that will save the state money in the long run are closing their doors. It's time for Gov. Quinn and state legislators to treat our most vulnerable citizens as human beings and pass a budget that doesn't decimate early childhood programs and other human services.
Diana Mendley Rauner, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Ounce of Prevention Fund