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By BONNIE ADAMS badams@leader.net
Wednesday, March 12, 2003 Page: 1A
WILKES-BARRE – Local critics of the state’s proposed budget said it will
hurt numerous human service programs in Luzerne County by cutting one fund
from $959,912 a year to $50,000.
“This is going to have a tremendous adverse effect throughout the state,
but in particular here in Luzerne County,” said Vince Kabacinski, longtime
executive director of VISION’s homeless shelter.
He said during a press conference Tuesday that those needing such services
are not the “political pawns of Pennsylvania.” Senators are expected to vote
on the budget today.
Carlie Wetzel of the county office of Human Services said the Human
Services Development Fund typically receives hundreds of thousands of dollars
in annual state funding to fill gaps in services for low-income and disabled
adults.
She said Help Line, VISION, the Area Agency on Aging, Victims Resource
Center and numerous other programs will be affected if the proposed state
budget is approved.
Wetzel said the drastic cut in the Human Services Development Fund could
endanger Help Line’s 24-hour referral service, which gets one-third of its
support from the fund.
“Help Line probably would not be able to operate without that funding
coming into it,” she said. The service got a $126,000 allocation this year
from the human services fund – more than double the proposed state budget
would provide for the entire county fund in 2003-2004.
Kabacinski asked residents Tuesday to contact state senators today and urge
them to vote against the proposed budget, which slashes the statewide Human
Services Development Fund from $36 million to $3 million.
“We need all the help we can get. We’re dealing with people’s lives,”
Kabacinski said during Tuesday’s press conference at Central United Methodist
Church. That is one of the local 42 churches, temples, colleges and
universities that house on a rotating basis the people who use the shelter.
VISION normally receives $18,000 a year from the fund, but received a
one-time $40,000 allocation this year.
The Rev. Penny Rahm of Central United Methodist said a cutback to VISION
could mean the loss of a VISION worker at host sites. She said that without
added security, many of the participating facilities might decide not to house
homeless clients.
“It’s unfortunate that politics has gotten in the way,” Rahm said.
Rendell last week presented a balanced budget to the Legislature, but said
he wanted lawmakers to refrain from acting on budget legislation until after
he presents the rest of his proposals on March 25. The state House already
approved the spending plan.
The first part of the budget would maintain services for the fiscal year
starting July 1 without raising major taxes by slashing spending by $1.6
billion and tapping one-time revenues.
Rendell has said the second part of his budget would boost state spending
for public schools, reduce local property taxes and make billions of dollars
available for economic development. To finance it, Rendell advocates
legalizing slot machines at racetracks and has said he will likely propose
increasing other taxes.
Rendell has made clear that he might veto his own budget if it reaches his
desk before he has a chance to make his other proposals.
“If this happens, it is going to be the most tragic experience I will go
through in my 17 years (with VISION),” Kabacinski said of Senate budget
approval.
Bonnie Adams, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7241.