Date

Dear ______:

As decisions are made regarding the final FY 2015-2016 state budget, I write to ask you to contact your leadership to raise three critical issues for counties as part of the discussion. First, ______County seeks assurance that the rebalancing proposal related to the child welfare lines is not in the final budget; second, we seek restoration of the ten percent cut in lines within the Human Services Block Grant; and third, we seek reimbursement for counties for any direct costs associated with strategies related to the impasse.

Counties remain opposed to the children and youth “rebalancing” initiative, which was contained in the vetoed HB 1192. This rebalancing proposal is not a simple change in accounting methodology. Instead, it would violate Act 30 and prevent the Department of Human Services from being able to allocate a full year of funding for child welfare. Without predictable funding levels, counties will find it extremely difficult to contract for services, to budget and ultimately to serve our children and families. Given the increased case load impact of the recently enacted changes to county obligations to protect children, ______County insists that funds in these lines should be off the table.

We continue to support as a prioritya three-year restoration of the FY 2012-2013 cuts to line items that fund county human services programs, consistent with the Governor’s proposal. Restoration is critical to address the historic pattern of underfunding across all human services line items, including a ten percent cut ($86 million) across all line items in the Human Services Block Grant in theFY 2012-2013 state budget. Even greater challenges face those counties not selected for the Block Grant program, who operate without the advantage of its additional flexibility.

[Insert local examples of the difficulties county human services have faced due to funding cuts, and the impacts of further cuts or level funding.]

Finally, the budget delay has caused______County, like other counties across the state, to implement fiscal strategies to assure our county residents have access to the human services programs they need. For example,[Insert local examples of the strategies your county has implemented as a result of the budget impasse, i.e., loans, stopping payments to providers, staffing reductions, etc.Our county has incurred direct costsof [outline any interest owed on loans, interest or fees on payment delays to providers, forgone interest earnings on funds drawn from reserves, etc.]. Without a plan to reimburse these costs, our county property taxpayers will be forced to shoulder the burdens associated with these strategies.

While countiesremain committed to working on behalf of those they serve in their communities, the needs of our residents must be the top priority. The budget impasse must be resolved and counties must be able to rely on their state government partners to provide their share of support to address our joint responsibilities.

Your consideration of this request is appreciated.

Sincerely,