(For Immediate Release: Wednesday, February 17, 2016)

Contact: Graeme.Zielinski@seiuhcil.org or James.Muhammad@seiuhcil.org

SPRINGFIELD-Following is the statement of SEIU Healthcare Illinois Vice President James Muhammad in response to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s Wednesday budget address.

“Bruce Rauner’s budget proposal? A. My way. B. The highway.

“With social services agencies, prevention programs and universities turning away clients and students and shuttering their doors every day, today’s address did nothing to meet the calamity that Bruce Rauner has created deliberately and which has vulnerable people as his chief victims.

“The Rauner budget again has the wrong priorities.

“As one telling example, Gov. Rauner announced $198 million in cuts to the State’s Community Care Program that provides vital home healthcare assistance to seniors.  Rauner’s irresponsible budget would cut the vital program and hurt more than 43,000 seniors in Illinois.  Half of all seniors in CCP would face dramatic service cuts and sharp reductions in home care assistance.

“One thing is clear today: The only kind of compromise this governor wants is the one that gives him everything he wants.”

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