User Comments

Brandon Cupp on Jun 30, 2009 at 19:33:22 said:

I'm an employer of southern illinois. My employees have kids. They can't afford to pay someone to watch them during the little time between work and school. I have a single dad working for me. If his funding gets cut he will have to stay home with his three kids. No one in the poverty level can afford even child care for one kid. It is even hard for the people with two incomes to get a leg up. I feel they need to reward those that are working two jobs to feed there kids, and not look down on them and say well you work to many hours and based on that you don't qualify. I feel that cutting funding for the hard working people that rise to the challenge every day would be a mistake because if we do this the businesses in illnois can kiss there workers good by, and no one not even the fast food chains will survive.

Jennifer on Jun 25, 2009 at 09:06:25 said:

Stephanie also I just wanted to say I was paying $1000 a month in rent, $800 in daycare (with action for children) and after that I had no money to either buy food or get to work ($160 a week in gas for my car. So I bought food and lost my car, only to find out transportation wasn't available to the part of the suburbs where I worked. And my "friend" on section 8? Her solution was to live on the streets till I could get on section 8. I applied for cook county's waiting list last year, and I didn't make the lottery!!! BS!! There's no help for you and me, and it suxs that the lazy can prosper while you and I risk our lives to care for our kids.

jennifer on Jun 25, 2009 at 08:58:16 said:

Stephanie I was in the same boat as you last year. I made $3 over the poverty limit and couldn't get any help. I lost my apartment because I couldn't afford the rent after gas prices and food started to increase in price. I stopped going to school because I was working so much I didn't even have time. I resorted to degrading myself to prostitution because my kids were eating boiled eggs and buttered noodles for 3 days straight, in addition to working a full time security job. Meanwhile my "friend" on section 8 sits at home and just thinks of ways to not work so much that she will get dropped out of her 3 bedroom apartment. Her children got pool passes every year, go on vacation, and enjoy good food and she has a nice 1998 minivan. She collects a widow's pension and pays about $400 a month in rent. Meanwhile I paid $1000 just in rent, at over 50% my income. When I went homeless I couldn't find a shelter to even stay in and was in a hotel, that's when I was going two days without eating and feeding my kids hardboiled eggs and rolls from the food shelf. I went suicidal till my kids father helped me go to California. Now I'm working part-time and going back to school. Out here while it lasts I'm getting help from the state and for once can get my head straight. I almost died out there and I know things are only going to get harder for you. The good thing out here is that if they cut anymore in California I won't mind sleeping on the streets because its warm. I pay $600 rent for my kids and we sleep in one small room. I haven't had to prositute since I left that state and finally I am getting help. When I went homeless and lost my job I went into Cook County on Lake St to apply for assistance and they told me to wait for 90 days and come back after I was denied unemployment. Well I was denied unemployment because I was on FMLA and lost my car (died) and could no longer get to work (public transporation in the suburbs suxs). Hopefully I finish my degree out here and they don't cut CALWORKS for me but keep your head up girl, or get the F*** out of Illinois.

Stephanie Stanton on Jun 23, 2009 at 08:58:56 said:

“NO CUTS TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES”

I am writing regarding the proposed funding for Child Care and Pre-School for the 2009 and 2010 school year and the cuts that may take effect starting July 1.

I am a single mother of three boys ages 12, 10 and 4. I work full-time and I am a full-time student. I have worked very hard to get my family off welfare and try to make a better life for my kids. My youngest child was born at 23 weeks and several medical problems which include cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus (water on the brain), and has a shunt.

I work 45 to 50 hours a week to support my family. With all the medical bill and medication associated with have a child with disabilities and just day to day life, food- electricity, heat and rent, I have nothing left at the end of the week. I work over time to pay the co-payment so my son can go to school and I can work.

If this plan is executed, you might as well take a gun, and shoot me in the head. I will not be able to work, I will not be able to take care of my kids, I will not be able to pay medical bills or pay for medicine for my disabled son.

I receive from “Action for Children/Child Care” subsidy assistant, and with that I also pay $283.00 a month in childcare. I am able to pay this, only because, my job allows me to work overtime a few days a week. I could not afford it any other way. This is the only government program available to someone in my circumstances.

Why is our government system designed to set people up to fail?
Scenario A
A Single mother of three, with no job (and has no intention of getting one) can get a brand new, apartment in Illinois paid for by Section 8, they are able to get the utility bills paid for by CEDA . They are able to get free food and all their medical needs paid for by our government, and also get money, after all of that. No worries of how their kids will have a roof over their head, how their kids will eat, and if they get sick, how will they pay for it.


Scenario B
A Single mother of three, WITH a job, and going to school (trying to out of the system and take care of family) Does not qualify for Section 8 housing or subsidies housing so rent $1,000. Does not qualify for utility assistants because she works, so $150 heat/gas, $125 electricity, $75 phone (and you need a phone because mommy has to work and the kids will be home alone quite a bit) and there’s food $ 400 a month for a family of three, and medical insurance (I’m not even going there) transportation to and from work $200 a month. Child care $300, which totals out to about $2,200 a month. By the way this person also makes $500 a week (that’s $2,000) a month. And remember the person does not quality for any public assistant.

I am one of the many people who happen to live the life of Scenario B, and yet our Governor thinks it’s a good idea to cut the little help we have in our day to day struggles. This budget cut is a bad idea, You must come up with a budget that works for the people, because this one is MURDER.