[Peace] Poverty Referendum on Feb. 5

[Charlotte Green]

Urbana-Champaign Friends Meeting supports the following referendum to assist the poor in Champaign Township.  We are encouraging others to vote “yes” on this referendum.  Please forward this email to others.

City of Champaign City Council Must Address Poverty
Vote Yes on February 5, 2008

 On the February 5th primary ballot, Champaign Township residents will have the opportunity to VOTE YES on an “Advisory Referendum” addressing the needs of the poor in the township. (Note that the City of Champaign Township is the same geographical unit as the City of Champaign.  The Champaign Township Trustees are the members of the Champaign City Council.) 

February 5, 2008 Advisory Referendum

“Shall the voters of the City of Champaign Township ask the Township Trustees to restore the level of general assistance funding by actively pursuing any and all means available to them in order to preserve the health and well-being of individuals, children, families and adults living in extreme poverty in our Township?”  VOTE YES 

Townships are mandated by Illinois State Statutes to provide General Assistance to the poorest of the poor, those living well below the poverty line. Under the Illinois Public Aid Code, any individual who satisfies the eligibility requirements, such as financial need and residency, is entitled to receive aid through the Township General Assistance Fund.  

Township assistance is often considered the public assistance of last resort.  It is for people who do not qualify for other public assistance programs, including TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) or SSI disability.  In Champaign Township, many clients receiving General Assistance are too sick to be able to hold down jobs.  Others face mental or physical challenges limiting their ability to work. Yet others are homeless due to court-ordered evacuations, domestic violence, or fire.

Due to budget constraints, on February 1, 2007 the City of Champaign Township was forced to terminate over 50% of eligible clients from General Assistance.  The remaining clients had their monthly checks cut from $212 to $100 and later raised to the current level of $150.

Poverty is not just a problem of developing countries – Poverty exists everywhere, in every city and every state in the US.  In spite of the prosperity that the City of Champaign enjoys, many of our citizens go hungry and lack even the basic needs of medical care, shelter, and warm clothing. 

Poverty is a challenge to our compassion and a source of instability for those that suffer because of it.  On February 5th please send a message of conscience to the Champaign City Council. Together our collective efficacy can ignite change.  VOTE YES.

For more detailed information, please visit the township website at www.cctownship.com.