It is with the utmost sense of urgency that we call upon our
fellow citizens for action. Since July 2015, the Pennsylvania state budget
impasse has wreaked havoc for rape crisis centers and domestic violence
shelters across the commonwealth. As the largest higher education risk
management law and consulting firm in the country, we implore our clients,
allies, and collaborators to contact their elected officials to increase
pressure on the Pennsylvania Governor and State Representatives to not only
pass a budget, but release the funding that has been delayed for six months.
In working with our local rape crisis center, we learned of
layoffs, inability to meet payroll or benefits payments, exhausting lines of
credit, cashing in CDs, taking second mortgages, and more; all due to state and
federal grant funds not being dispersed. Meanwhile, caseloads and need continue
to grow. This quote is taken directly from the Crime Victims’ Center of Chester
County’s appeal to legislators:
As an agency, we have nothing left
literally and figuratively. Even if the impasse was lifted tomorrow, it would
take four weeks for the State Treasury to process and release the funds. Four our
agency, this means four weeks without funds.
We spend our days working with campus and community partners
to create a safer society. It is appalling to think of the approved funds that
could help so many, sitting – unused. Please help us use our collective voice
for action as we increase pressure on our representatives to allocate what is
rightfully due in service to the citizens of Pennsylvania.
In Pennsylvania: Find your representative at http://www.house.state.pa.us/ and
contact the governor at https://www.governor.pa.gov/contact-the-office-of-the-public-liaison/
Nationwide: Find your senator at http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/ and
your representative at http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
