Early Care and Education Advocacy Still Needed!

We wanted to update everyone on the state budget process.  While the conference committee did not meet yesterday as planned, there is a rumor that they will be meeting this weekend.  The Governor has said that he is opposed to signing another budget extension, which could lead to a government shutdown if the conference committee cannot produce a budget by next Tuesday.  Speaker Budish and Senate President Harris have said they are opposed to a government shutdown and will work to avoid that scenario.

The budget process is being held up by the disagreement over the proposal put forth by Governor Strickland regarding the Video Lottery Terminals at racetracks, which accounts for $900 million in his proposed "framework" released several weeks ago.  Advocates from all areas of human services testified before the house this week calling for increased revenues to avoid the proposed cuts already in the budget and the possiblity of more cuts.  The Senate also had hearings on the VLT proposal, and as a result determined that the proposal is "fatally flawed".

Senate President Harris is has a different gambling proposal that he wants to put on the ballot in November.  It is unclear how that would impact the budget for SFY 2010 at this point.

While this is very discouraging, we need to still be delivering the message that early care and education is vitally important to Ohio.  We encourage you to make one more round of calls today and tomorrow to prepare for any decisions that may be made this weekend. 

Your calls at this point will be most effective to Senator Harris, Speaker Budish, and the Governor's office.

 Click here for talking points and phone numbers.

We are also asking that everyone please submit letters to the editor to your local papers!  There have been many great articles all over the state on early care and education, the need for increased revenue, and the impact of these cuts on human services.  Please take the time to submit letters today and tomorrow to your papers to make sure there is still visiblity in the media for our issues.  Most letters should be 200-250 words and can be submitted via fax and email, and we recommend you do both to make sure they are noticed.

Please also make a call for increased revenue in your calls and letters.  Click here for talking points on revenue options.

Thank you and keep up the fight!

Katie Kelly, groundWork Director