State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) is fighting for funding for domestic violence shelters following a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing this week. Advocates, including Vickie Smith, testified about the negative effects the budget impasse has had on domestic violence shelters across the state.

“In the late 1980s I served as a director for a domestic violence shelter and know firsthand how critical the services they provide are,” Hunter said. “By not funding these essential services, victims may stay in their homes longer and suffer ongoing abuse because they have nowhere else to go. It is a real shame that in their time of greatest need, the state is not willing or able to step up and support these victims.”

Domestic violence shelter funding was omitted in the FY17 budget. Since then, many domestic violence shelters have been forced to lay off staff, reduce services or even shut their doors due to the lack of state funding.

“Every single agency raises private dollars,” said Smith on “The 21st Podcast” on NPR. “But the money from the state is the core of operating funds. It keeps the lights on; it keeps the phone bill paid; and it pays their rent. If the agencies don’t have the core operating fund it’s really difficult to provide extra services… Considering everything is built around that.”

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To help the human service agencies that continue to suffer in the ongoing budget impasse, State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) put forth a plan that would handle payments to all human services the same, rather than prioritizing certain contracts over others.

“We should treat the people that care for our most vulnerable citizens fairly,” Hunter said. “Programs like Redeploy Illinois, homeless youth services and others have been bearing the financial burden of the state of Illinois for the almost two years we’ve gone without a budget. This legislation will not only prioritize the payments human service providers need but also compensate organizations for delayed payments.”

Under current law, when state government fails to pay vendors on time, the Prompt Payment Act sets regulations for how to pay vendors in a timely manner for their services. Those guidelines only apply to construction contractors and some human service contractors.

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Please note the first installment of property taxes were due March 1, 2017. The second installment will be due on August 1, 2017. There are more than 2,000 homes in our district at risk of being sold for delinquent taxes. If you have any questions, you should call your taxing body (i.e. the Cook County Treasurer's Office.) Phone number: (312) 443-5100