Roundtable addresses impact of budget on family services
The Daily Record (Wooster) - August 31, 2009
By LINDA HALL - Staff Writer
WOOSTER -- A precipitous decline, or in some cases elimination, in funding threatens critical child and family service programs in Ohio.
Representatives from the area's social service, governmental and educational sectors met in a roundtable to discuss the issue on Friday on the campus of The Village Network in Wooster.
"We've gone below bare bones," Jim Miller, TVN executive director, referring to social services in general, told a panel of state representatives and one state senator.
While participants expressed appreciation for dialogue with state officials, Brenda Linnick, executive director of the United Way of Wayne and Holmes Counties, stressed, "You need to have these regional conversations before you make the decisions."
"Right now, at this very moment, I am frightened for this community," Linnick said, pointing out that budget cuts have "made the vulnerable (in our society) more vulnerable."
The safety nets are "pretty much shredded," said Richard Owens, director of Wayne County Job and Family Services.
The state must cease in "putting so many restrictions" on funding that is available, Linnick said. Instead, "Give us the outcomes you want us to achieve and get out of the way," she suggested.
Jon Ansel, a Wooster city councilman, said he couldn't understand how the state allowed services to customers to be cut, pointing out businesses make other budget reductions.
"When was the last time state employees took a 10 percent cut?" Ansel asked.
State representative Dave Hall, a former Holmes County commissioner, called for streamlining the state bureaucracy and "mov(ing) money," for example, shifting economic development dollars to entities such as libraries, which are providing many necessary services for local citizens.
"I do like the block grant idea," state Representative Ron Amstutz said.
"What we need is flexibility. Each county is different," Hall said. "We're down (in Columbus) for that reason ... to get this great state back on its feet."
Local officials understand where funding can most effectively be put to use, and they need to share that information with state officials, said Todd Snitchler, a state representative whose district includes portions of Stark County,.
"I'm open to suggestion and willing to try new ideas," said state Representative Margaret Ruhl, who serves Knox and Morrow counties and portions of Ashland and Richland counties.
The biggest chunk of reductions was taken from human services, Hall said. Given the financial picture he, as a freshman representative, sees, "We're all going to have to work together."
"Do get in touch with the freshman class because it is an educational process," he said.
State Senator Bob Gibbs also foresees a "huge challenge" in education, funded heavily with one-time stimulus dollars.
This "most challenging" biennium budget, which he said was "out of balance the day it came over to the Senate," leaves in its wake another problem -- virtually no rainy day fund cushion.
Noting no one on either side of the aisle was enthusiastic about the budget bill, Amstutz called the process frustrating. As part of the conference committee, even he "couldn't get a good direction on what was happening," and is concerned there was not a sufficient decline in spending.
"I'm a strong advocate we should not increase taxes," said Gibbs, who also noted he doesn't think video lottery terminals are a good way to try to balance the budget.
"No one likes to say the 't' word," Snitchler said, referring to taxes, but, "I don't know any other way to fill the hole" that will be left by about $8 billion in one-time funding.
As decision-making goes forward, Snitchler emphasized money should be invested in youth.
"Those are wise dollars to be sent because we save money in the long run ... we need to keep those kinds of issues in mind."
Dialogue with state government officials as an outgrowth of county Family and Children First Councils is "an effective forum," Miller said.
The roundtable was sponsored by the Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies Inc. (OACCA).
Reporter Linda Hall can be reached at 330-264-1125, Ext. 2230, or e-mail lhall@the-daily-record.com.