January 13, 2009

Despite the current, sizable economic challenges facing our state and our nation, there is an important role for government to play in creating solutions that assist people who are vulnerable while also strengthening the broader social fabric and economic stability.

Heartland Alliance's 120 years of experience in the trenches providing direct services gives us a unique understanding of the challenges that plague public systems and create barriers to opportunity for vulnerable people. Based on that expertise, we are able to craft and advance proven solutions and improve government policies at the local, state, and federal levels through public policy development and advocacy.

Heartland Alliance's 2009 policy priorities are based on a comprehensive approach to poverty elimination, ensuring opportunity for work and well-being, and protection from destitution.

• Eliminate extreme poverty - Everyone in Illinois should have the opportunity to put food on their table, a roof over their head, and give their kids a chance at a bright future, but that opportunity does not exist for the hundreds of thousands of people in Illinois living in extreme poverty, on less than $10,000 per year. In order to move forward to eliminate poverty, Illinois needs to create a comprehensive vision and a concrete, measurable plan to cut extreme poverty in half by 2015. The newly created Illinois Commission on Poverty Elimination and Heartland Alliance's From Poverty to Opportunity campaign will focus on this issue in the coming year.
  
• Maintain vital human services – The current economic recession is generating more need for basic human services programs such as housing and utility assistance, job training, and income supports. This is adding to the unmet need that existed long before the current crisis for services such as youth development, mental health and addictions treatment, and education and training. Illinois must invest in its human services infrastructure in order to maintain these vital services and prevent hardship and destitution during the recession while making investments that are critical to the future stability and economic success of our state.
  
• Reform Illinois' revenue system - Illinois' tax system currently collects less revenue than is needed to fund the current level of public services. As a result, we face a budget shortfall each year when state funding ends up falling short of what has already been agreed upon to fund, let alone the unmet needs that we've yet to address as a state. In many instances, the state ends up balancing the budget by cutting programs and services for its most vulnerable residents. Illinois needs a fair tax and budget system that protects and supports vital programs and human services.

For more information about how you can help support these important issues, sign up for action alerts and get involved as an advocate!

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