Elgin Mayor Wants Summit Of Social Service Groups Caught In State Budget Stalemate
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The mayor of one of Illinois' largest cities has called for social service agencies to come together for a summit to discuss the squeeze in funding from Springfield.
Elgin Mayor David Kaptain said he's worried if the state's budget stalemate continues, with countless social service agencies struggling to keep their heads above water without vital state funding, Elgin needs to be ready.
"The state's going to fail us. Maybe not this year, or next year, but sometime they're going to fail us with this. It's just becoming difficult for them to provide us funding. One of the first places they look is social services," he said.
Many groups that provide services to the mentally ill, drug addicts, and others have been deprived of state funds they need to operate while the governor and lawmakers have failed to agree on a state spending plan.
"Social service agencies that I've talked to are kind of all across the board. Some have some reserves that they feel may get them through part of next year. Others are pretty well stretched already," Kaptain said.
He wants a plan developed for that eventuality, so Elgin can help those who can least help themselves.
"My concern is, if they can't continue in providing services to their clients, what's going to happen to those people? And will they become something that the city of Elgin will have to deal with? Such as homeless people, and people that have issues in their lives," he said.
Kaptain would like that summit to take place before October.