Thanks to the participation of United Way volunteers and partner agencies across the state, United Way of Metropolitan Chicago and United Way of Illinois met with key officials for the State of Illinois on February 25 to discuss issues important to the health and human services sector. United Way of Illinois Lobby Day kicked off the United Way advocacy agenda for 2009.
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago met with State Treasurer Alex Giannoulias, State Comptroller Dan Hynes and Jerry Stermer, Chief of Staff for Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.
“We want to make sure that our elected representatives realize the critical role social services play in their constituents’ lives,” said Jack Kaplan, director, Public Policy and Advocacy, United Way of Metropolitan Chicago and United Way of Illinois. “Without proper funding and timely reimbursements, many agencies will not be able to stay afloat, leaving a dangerous gap in our state’s safety net.”
The full United Way of Illinois Public Policy Agenda advocates for:
- Wise, strategic investments to ensure that state government makes adequate appropriations to provide critical services that communities throughout Illinois depend upon.
- Responsible management honoring existing contracts and providing timely reimbursement payments for services provided to our most vulnerable citizens.
- Greater efficiency and accountability by creating a public/private task force charged with review and study of the public contracting process to develop contract and administrative reforms that increase transparency, utilize cost-saving technologies and engage community service providers as equal partners.
More:
United Way of Illinois Public Policy Agenda
