SEPTEMBER 12, 2007

In the first two weeks of October efforts will be made in the
legislature to override the Governor's recent vetoes of certain items in
the state's budget. This includes two programs vitally important to
Catholic schools: $10.1 million in the School Safety Block Grant to help
our schools pay for state mandated health and safety measures, and $14.1
million to increase the transportation reimbursement to parents forced
to drive their children to school.

There are several ways you, the parents of your school, and parishioners of your church can help.

First, please CALL AND/OR WRITE your state representative and state
senator in the next two weeks and ask that they commit to voting to
override the Governor's vetoes! On my web site,
www.catholicconferenceofillinois.org

I have posted a sample letter, a fact sheet, a list of reimbursable health and safety mandates, and a list of every Catholic school in Illinois (organized by rep district) and how much money they will receive this year if the vetoes are overridden -- the money is not insignificant, go to the web site and check it out!!!

If you do not know who your state representative and senator are, you can call us at 217-528-9200 or 312-368-1066, or you can go to
www.ilga.gov , click on Legislator Lookup in the lower right hand column and plug in your street address.

Second, over the next three weeks, there will be budget hearings held
across the state to discuss the Governor's vetoes and possible
overrides. We need local principals, parents and other interested
parties to attend these hearings and show their support for an override.

A list of the meeting dates, locations and times has been posted on my
web site; please check to see if there is a hearing convenient to your
school. You can speak at the hearing if you wish (using the materials
on my web site), but if you don't wish to speak, simply submit the
written materials that can be printed off my web site -- your presence
alone will send a great message.

Please do all you can to help. Thanks.

Zach Wichmann
Catholic Conference of Illinois
Associate Director for Education
217-528-9200

AUGUST 24, 2007                                             

CCI CALLS FOR OVERRIDE OF GOVERNOR’S VETOES
The Catholic Conference of Illinois, the public policy arm of the Catholic Bishops in Illinois, appeals to the General Assembly to override the Governor’s vetoes of funding for many worthy funding initiatives recently passed in the FY 08 budget.  Strong, veto-proof, majorities in both the House and Senate approved these expenditures, and the Governor’s arbitrary decision to cut should not be upheld.
“While we applaud the Governor’s desire to expand healthcare coverage for those in need, we were shocked by his veto decisions because the programs reduced or eliminated address real needs, are not pork nor special pet projects, and the Governor can still expand health care coverage without cutting these programs,” said Robert Gilligan, Executive Director of the Catholic Conference.  Eliminating funding intended to help non-public schools comply with state imposed health and safety mandates and reducing funds to aid parents of both public and non-public students transport their children to school hardly qualifies as “pork”, but it certainly qualifies as a “poke in the eye” to the 257,000 families of the non-public school community.

Franciscan Outreach, Maryville Academy, Misericordia and a number of other Catholic entities providing services to the disabled, the homeless, and children were also victims of the Governor’s actions.  “Once again, how these qualify for elimination, why we can’t afford to fund them, or how these cuts improve health care in Illinois simply defies explanation,” said Gilligan.
CCI calls on the members of the Illinois General Assembly to override the Governor’s veto and let the proposed budget stand as it was passed on August 10, 2007.