Budget Update

There's no getting around it - Connecticut is in a real mess when it comes to its fiscal house. We are looking at a fundamental change in the way the state budgets going forward. While it's easy to get caught up in each line item, the overall fight to maintain funding is what is important now. Several of the budget proposals seek to eliminate the Office of Early Childhood, which has only been in existence since 2014, and scatter its services back to various departments, including DSS and SDE. The governor and state employee union leaders have struck a tentative deal for employee concessions, but that plan has to be approved by the unions. The two remaining commissions, which had combined from six distinct commissions just last year, face elimination. There are cuts across all agencies - that help parents, grandparents, etc. The proposals make drastic cuts to core human services. We need to take care of our people. We need to stand together to protect what's important to us - all of us - as our very state landscape is at stake.

A deficit mitigation plan for the current budget passed in the Senate Tuesday and House on Wednesday. The plan would resolve the Birth to Three deficiency. The CT Mirror has more HERE and HERE. 

Federally, the Trump Administration released its budget plan. Many have called it "disastrous" and "an assault on the poor and vulnerable." According to CLASP, "the request claims to balance the budget in 10 years by slashing $1.7 trillion from virtually every program that helps reduce poverty and support ordinary working Americans—Medicaid and CHIP, nutrition assistance, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, support for people with disabilities, and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) – on top of $54 billion in 2018 cuts to domestic programs already previewed in the so-called 'skinny budget' two months ago." CLASP gives a full overview HERE. For Connecticut in particular, the proposed budget would, "rip Connecticut's safety net for the poor." CT Mirror takes a closer look at the impact for the state, if this budget were to pass. 

Budget Update

All four caucuses and the Governor's Office have proposed budgets. Remember this is still the negotiating phase and you may find your program is in one budget but not another. As deliberations continue, it's important for lawmakers to hear from their constituents with a clear message: we cannot cut our way out of a budget deficit. Many of these programs are already operating at bare bones, and further cuts or complete elimination will hurt Connecticut families. We need to look at revenue options, including the sugar sweetened beverage tax. When it comes to the budget, we need you to call your legislators and tell them to protect programs and services that children and families rely on in CT. Tell them you support revenue options like the sugar sweetened beverage tax. We need to make it clear that we vote and that while business and industry is important to our economy, so are the families that live here. 

That said, please remember our Care4Kids efforts, including the LINK to contact your legislators (you do not have to write a new message - it's pre-written for you to send to your senator, representative, and Governor Malloy), or join the Thunderclap (which will use your social media (Twitter, Facebook, and/or Tumblr), to push out a common message at the same time to amplify our presence). To protect Connecticut's vulnerable families who need to work and care for their children, Care4Kids funds CANNOT be cut any further. Contact your legislators through this YMCA advocacy tool LINK and to learn more about the campaign, click HERE. You can also join our THUNDERCLAP, which will use your social media (Twitter, Facebook, and/or Tumblr), to push out a common message at the same time to amplify our presence. Click HERE to support the Thunderclap! We've hit our 100 supporters, but the more who sign on, the larger our reach will be!

Join the Campaign to Protect Care4Kids

You may have received an email from the Alliance on May 8 regarding the current budget mess and the potential for more drastic cuts to spending. To protect Connecticut's vulnerable families who need to work and care for their children, Care4Kids funds CANNOT be cut any further. Contact your legislators through this YMCA advocacy tool LINK and to learn more about the campaign, click HERE. You can also join our THUNDERCLAP, which will use your social media (Twitter, Facebook, and/or Tumblr), to push out a common message at the same time to amplify our presence. Click HERE to support the Thunderclap! We need 100 supporters to make our message go live!

ZERO TO THREE'S Strolling Thunder Included CT Family

Last week, an Early Head Start family from Connecticut participated in "Strolling Thunder," where babies and families from all 50 states come together in Washington to tell Congress to "think babies!" Stephanie and her daughter, Taylor, represented Early Head Start and All Our Kin, speaking to members of Congress, including Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. ZERO TO THREE designed the "Think Babies" campaign to promote enriching early experiences and a strong foundation for development from the start.  Science shows the human brain grows faster between zero and three than any other time in our lives.