Demand a Fair Budget Before the General Assembly Adjourns Friday

The Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to wrap up this year's regular session this Friday, May 7.  Facing a $13 billion budget deficit, we need our state elected officials to step up and lead the way to a fair budget solution.  Tell your legislators to solve the state budget crisis now by voting for a responsible budget.  Send the message two ways:

1. Call 1-800-719-3020 to be connected to your state representative’s office (Find out who your legislator is by scrolling to the bottom of the page.) Leave this message: “We need you to step up and lead.  Raise new revenues to prevent budget cuts that will slash vital HIV/AIDS services and other life-saving programs. Support HB 174!” Even if you’ve called already, call again.

2. Fax your legislators. Tell them that access to HIV medications, prevention services, and care for people with HIV must be adequately funded in this year's budget. You can also download and share the message as a petition in English and Spanish.

The state budget crisis will decimate jobs, schools, and vital services in a terrible recession—just when our families need them the most.

If legislators do nothing, people with HIV could go without medications, HIV prevention programs could stop HIV testing and outreach, and agencies that provide housing will struggle to keep their doors open.  Tens of thousands of teachers will be laid off, hundreds of thousands of seniors will lose their care, and hundreds of police will be taken off our streets. Libraries will close, community-based agencies serving the most vulnerable Illinois residents will slash programs or shut their doors, and tens of thousands of jobs will be lost.

But this doesn’t have to be.  Tell legislators to step up and lead.  TAKE ACTION NOW.