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CALL YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS IMMEDIATELY!!

House Republicans released the details of their proposed State Budget for FY 2011 – 2012.  Significant cuts are made in most state appropriation lines in DPW and Health, including a 10 % cut to Domestic Violence(DV) Services funding (Act 44). Cuts were also made to rape crisis, disabilities, and housing services, to name a few.

This proposal devastates the already fraying human service system, especially the services women need.   Each service sector relies on multiple state funding streams to keep community supports available for the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians.

The House Republicans proposal for DV services takes funding back to 1998 levels!  House Republicans said they would only cut programs that were not productive or necessary. Tell that to the more than 92,000 battered women and children who find safety each year in Pennsylvania’s domestic violence programs!  (Funding chart and this email message attached.)

DV related homicides are up 48%.   Programs are currently bombarded with victims with increased needs exacerbated by the recession and a shortage of community resources.

Two shelters had to close during the 2009 100-day budget delay.  Loss of stimulus funding has just closed the domestic violence shelter in Bedford County until at least the end of June.  Imagine the service eliminations that will happen with a 10% annualized CUT!

Call your legislators now! www.legis.state.pa.us and enter your zip code under Address and Who’s My Legislator.

  • Insist that our funding be restored to at least the Governor’s proposal.  The House proposal reaches well beyondthe Auditor General’s fraud and abuse findings and treats EVERY service in DPWthe same as the ONE that AG Wagner audited.
  • EVERYONE also call House and Senate Leadership:  Senators Scarnati, Corman, Pileggi, Browne, Costa, A.Williams, Hughes and Representatives Smith, Turzai, Adolph, Dermody, Hanna, Markosek.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

****VOLUNTEER****VOLUNTEER****VOLUNTEER****VOLUNTEER****VOLUNTEER****VOLUNTEER****VOLUNTEER***

Women Against Abuse needs you to volunteer  to dedicate two hours to phone banking for this important issue?

Please RSVP to Kate Atkins at sepabudget@gmail.com with the two hours you can give to a phone bank effort, and whether you could do it from a high-tech phone bank location in Center City Philadelphia, or would prefer to do it remotely from your own phone.

Wednesday, May 18th, 5PM – 7PM

Thursday, May 19th, 10AM – noon

Thursday, May 19th, 3PM – 5PM

Thursday, May 19th, 5PM – 7PM

A recommended script for the telephone calls will be provided to you.

For more information and to RSVP, contact Kate Atkins, Outreach Coordinator, Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center at sepabudget@gmail.com or 215 563 5848 x16.