ILLINOIS PARTNERS FOR HUMAN SERVICE CONFERENCE CALLS WITH CAMPAIGN OFFICES FOR SENATOR BRADY AND GOVERNOR QUINN October 18 and October 25, 2010

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1 ILLINOIS PARTNERS FOR HUMAN SERVICE CONFERENCE CALLS WITH CAMPAIGN OFFICES FOR SENATOR BRADY AND GOVERNOR QUINN October 18 and October 25, 2010 Introduction: Based on the fact that community based providers are quintessential to the delivery of human services and employees over 400,000 workers, the following questions were asked. Responses for Senator Brady were provided by Laura Anderson with Winning Solutions and Dave Sullivan with Rousch and Sullivan Stratgeies. Governor Quinn spoke directly to the Illinois Partners for Human Service. Question Would you commit to include human services on the same level as education, health and public safety? Senator Brady We will partner with human service agencies around the state and reach out for advice on prioritizing what the state should do. We will reprioritize with human service providers together. Find out what money we do have and how do we prioritize it. Senator Brady has visited community providers during the summer and agrees that a community provider system is the best way to deliver services versus a state run system. He is committed to maintaining community providers. Governor Quinn I vetoed the 50% budget cut that was proposed by the legislature and have proposed more revenue. The result was a 15% cut in human services. He would like more money for human services and will do his level best to get human services as high as possible. Question Would you commit to not cutting human services and have a transparent rate setting process? Senator Brady Response from Dave Sullivan stated that won t guarantee won t cut human services and that we should try to get rid of unnecessary paperwork. Laura Anderson added that we don t know where everything is with the financial shenanigans that have occurred in the past. We will call for a professional audit to figure out where the money is and how it is being spent. She also stated we want to make sure community providers are funded. Governor Quinn We have a new person at HFS with Julie Hamos and Michele Saddler has been added to the Governor s staff who came over from the Dept. of Human Services. We have serious fiscal problems and more revenue is needed for human services. More jobs have been added which will stabilize the economy. Revenue sources will be from: 1.) Growing economy; 2.) More revenue through income tax with increased jobs; and 3) Federal money - $550 million for health care and $415 million for education.

2 Questions In the past 8 years payment for services has stayed flat, changes to grants and contracts are made without notice and do not pay all costs, and according to the Urban Institute Illinois is the worst in the nation with late payments. 83% of providers are feeling some impact from the delays and increasing numbers are withdrawing from state contracts. What actions will you implement in the first 2 months to address rates and payments? Senator Brady November 3 rd would start the transition process and in response to who should be senior staff in state agencies, we will look to expertise in those areas for state agencies rather than political people. We will ask for suggestions on senior staff persons that should be appointed. Laura went on to talk about jobs and the fact that providers have to take out loans and credit lines also affects jobs of human service organizations. We will also work to bring back jobs to Illinois. Laura further raised the question of how much increased revenue for human services and increased human services jobs? With increased jobs, there will be an increase in revenue to Illinois. Government will have more revenue from increased taxes paid. Governor Quinn On November 4 th we will bring the Senate back in to vote on a borrowing plan of $3 billion. Senator Brady did not vote for the borrowing. In 2009 we borrowed $3.5 billion that was used to pay down the invoices owed. Brady is now proposing to borrow $50 billion. The current debt for Illinois did not begin on January 29, Senator Brady has been a roadblock for 17 years that he has been in the legislature. Why didn t he do anything in the past to address these issues? The Governor further stated in his response that he will check on the mid stream changes that occurring to contracts with providers. Question was basically raised with Governor Quinn only. With regards to Medicaid, there are a number of people that do not qualify for those services, so how do we continue to help them? Governor Quinn We did not raise the cigarette tax and if we can it will free up money to pay Non-Medicaid people. We can leverage federal money where possible to free up state dollars for non-qualified Medicaid recipients. Question Senator Brady is proposing a cut of 10 cents on the dollar for cuts to state expenses. How do you see that affecting human services if some can t be cut at all because of mandates? How will a 10% cut be managed across all human services?

3 Senator Brady There will be a reprioritization of services versus a 10% across the board cut. Question You suggest that a 10% cut is not really a 10% cut. It is something different. Governor Quinn The GRF budget was $28 billion when he took over. GRF is now $25 billion. The budget has already been cut by more than 10% and have maintained the fundamental structure. The Brady record has opposed human service investment. People may have disagreements with Quinn but it will be cut more than 10% with Brady. The following sections contain answers to different questions that were asked of only one of the candidates. Question Regarding the process to engage providers, what specific process will be used to engage providers during the budget development? Senator Brady The Senator will be reaching out to human services. He is already collecting information on the budget and the contract situation and collecting information on the resources. Question How do we know that human services will be considered at the same level of education, health and public safety? Senator Brady We will make sure that community providers are empowered. The Senator knows that community providers are important. I don t know but you do. Question How exactly will you go about doing this making it an inclusive, open process? Senator Brady We need to hear from the people on the call. We are committed to inviting Illinois Partners to the transition process to include different parts of human services, different silos of care, and under and include all dimensions of human services. Question Senator Brady does not have track record of working with providers and human services. Senator Brady Response generally stated that the track record of the current administration is not very good with all the fiscal problems.

4 As a final comment it was suggested that Senator Brady s campaign contact the Center for budget and Tax Accountability to obtain financial strategies for getting out of the current mess and also contact the Illinois Human Services Reform Commission. Question Will Grant non-medicaid funding for DD be cut? Governor Quinn We will try to maintain grant funding and use Medicaid where possible which has enhanced funding. We will work to get more Medicaid which will free up more state money. Question There was a question regarding Howe Institution closures. Governor Quinn We did closures in a very humane way. Community Care is what we have to do and support and understand it. Question Do you favor the DREAM Act? Governor Quinn - I am against the Arizona Law on Immigration. It is unconstitutional. I am for immigration reform. Brady doesn t have an opinion on immigration reform. Question Tell us about a specific time when you used political skills to achieve a goal when others were opposed to it. Governor Quinn Passing the ethic reform standards and the in fighting around the capital bill. It provided funding for new schools. Brady voted against funding of bonds. Question What will you do differently to work with Madigan and Cullerton? Governor Quinn I am investing in human beings. Republicans did not want to be bi-partisan. Question - The whole country is anti-incumbent. How would the Governor work with closer majorities in both Houses? Governor Quinn I know how to get along with people and am honest and tell the truth. Brady is not leveling with the people of Illinois. Question Where do you stand on LGBT population? Governor Quinn Brady would ban civil unions and gay marriages. Brady would allow employers to fire employees that are gay. Brady supports allowing landlords to kick out gays. Tolerance must be the way to go.

5 Question How do you feel about abortion in the case of rape and incest? Governor Quinn I support the right of privacy and right of choice. Question In the first 2 months of the new administration would you commit to the Illinois Partners as part of the transition? Governor Quinn I would include the Illinois Partners for Human Service in the transition team for looking at Human Services. Final comment by Illinois Partners was that there are 600 Human Services providers that are a part of their coalition and are in all districts in the state.