Lansing, Mich., Aug 7, 2009 / 02:49 am
At a time when economic stress is moving state and local governments to reduce spending, the Michigan Catholic Conference has criticized state legislators’ budget balancing proposals which cut social programs. The Conference argues such cuts will hurt the most vulnerable Michigan residents.
“Our message to the public and the Legislature is ‘enough is enough’, the state can no longer continue to tear apart the state’s social safety net to resolve the budget deficit,” Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) Vice President for Public Policy Paul A. Long said in a statement. “It is our common understanding that the moral strength of a society depends on the assistance it provides its most vulnerable population, and we hope the Legislature would share that position as well.”
The MCC was one of 27 social service advocacy organizations that sent a letter to the governor and all legislators, saying a “shared pain” approach to balancing the state’s $1.8 billion budget deficit was a moral and legislative failure.
According to the coalition of social service advocates, over half of the $304 million budget cuts included in an executive order came from the Department of Community Health and the Department of Human Services, two departments primarily responsible for ensuring “critical human services” to Michigan’s low-income children and families.