On Tuesday, May 14, ONE Northside joined hundreds of allies from the Fund Our Futures coalition to rally at the State Capitol. We came to tell our legislators that big corporations and the rich need to pay their fair share so that families and our neighborhoods have the resources they need to thrive. We don’t need cuts! We need government to Fund Our Futures!
The day started for us bright and early, with over 40 ONE Northside leaders and staff gathering by 6am to board the bus for Springfield! The journey took around 3 hours, so we had to get on the bus early in the morning to make it on time.
We were a group of Parent Mentors, violence prevention workers from CP4P, housing justice advocates (many with lived experience of housing injustice or homelessness), and passionate supporters of economic justice.
We enjoyed bagels and coffee as we rolled down the road, got a training on what to expect when we arrived, and then we arrived!
We don’t have to accept budget cuts – we can have a state that invests in all of us.
COVID-era relief is ending this year, putting extra pressure on the budget. Some lawmakers are signaling they want to make $800 million in cuts instead of asking the wealthy and big corporations to pay their fair share.
The Fund Our Futures coalition, which ONE Northside is a member of, has another proposal. Through closing tax loopholes and other new taxes that target big corporations and the wealthy, we could not only prevent cuts, we could generate $1.5 billion in new funding to invest in Illinois communities and families.
After we arrived at the Capitol, we worked in teams to start taking this message to the legislators who represent the areas where ONE Northside organizes. We work from Lincoln Park to Rogers Park, so we have leaders in a lot of legislative districts!
We were fortunate to have many meetings with State Senators and Representatives who wanted to hear our stories and our concerns about the budget.
Senator Laura Fine for example listened to CP4P Program Manager Zerell share his firsthand knowledge of how important community-based violence intervention programs are in our neighborhoods.
Thanks to all the representatives who shared their time with us – and to those we didn’t get to meet, we will see you soon in your district offices!
Fully-funded community programs are an investment in our future
We know what works because we see it every day. Parent Mentors make schools, families, children, and communities stronger. Communities Partnering 4 Peace is a vital part of our public safety network. Low-income tenants know the solutions they need for their buildings and their neighborhoods. In addition to the progressive revenue solutions proposed by Fund Our Futures, ONE Northside came to Springfield to highlight the funding and legislative priorities most important to our leaders.
- $20m for Parent Mentor Program
- $2.5m for Parent Mentor Ladder of Engagement from Community Colleges Board budget
- $25m for Communities Partnering 4 Peace and permanent funding of Reimagine Public Safety Act
- $55m for Heartland Housing building preservation and tenant services on Chicago’s North Side
- Changing the Open Meetings Act to allow Police District Councilors to talk to each other and do their job effectively
At the end of a long day, we headed back to the bus to make the 3-hour journey back to Chicago! We want to give a huge thanks to all the leaders who made the trip with us. Giving up a day to travel to Springfield is no small feat, and putting yourself out there to share your story with elected officials can be scary sometimes. We are building people power by showing up and making sure our voices are heard!