MASSCAP
Massachusetts Association of Community Action Program Directors

November 28, 2001

Her Excellency
Governor Jane Swift
State House
Boston, MA 02133

Dear Governor Swift:

This has been an incredibly challenging budget season marked by a slowing economy and rapidly declining revenues. The FY 2002 Budget presented to you by the Conference Committee represents its response to this economic environment.

While the FY 2002 budget before you helps many Massachusetts residents, there are accounts that have been reduced, removed, or changed in ways that could harm low-income and vulnerable Massachusetts families.

I am writing to respectfully request, as you review the Conference Committee’s FY 2002 Budget, that you consider, when appropriate, restoring funding in whole or in part to four programs that help our most vulnerable populations, and that you consider a veto of language in a particular line-item.

Funding Restorations

We hope that:

• the funding for the Community Partnership for Children program is restored to last year’s level. The CPC program helps community action agencies deliver effective child care across the state to thousands of families

• funding to adult basic education is restored. We see that program as a critical component of the workforce development system helping many of our clients get and retain good paying jobs;

• the salary supplement for human service workers is restored. This line-item helps CAAs and other community based organizations to provide competitive salaries to employees who help the most vulnerable people in our society.  It allows us to attract and retain workers

• resources for mental health services be restored. People who receive mental health services need consistent services; cuts to that line-item could remove that consistency and make their lives very difficult.

Language Veto

Further, we join with CHAPA in asking you to consider removing the new language (added by the Conference Committee) in the Community Economic Enterprise Development (CEED) program line-item 7004-2027 while retaining the funding for the CEED program.

We understand the virtually unprecedented challenge you face. We also understand that during a slowing economy vulnerable populations face great challenges especially when jobs become harder to find and services less available.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Joseph P. Diamond

Executive Director, MASSCAP