What Will Illinois Lose in the Sequester? What Will Oswego?

Deep, nationwide cuts are geared to take place March 1. They're the first of a decade-long $1.2 trillion budget cut plan poised to go into effect unless congress can compromise on a deficit-reduction plan. 

Here’s what Illinois stands to lose, according to the White House:

• Teachers and Schools: Illinois will lose approximately $33.4 million in funding for primary and secondary education, putting around 460 teacher and aide jobs at risk. In addition about 39,000 fewer students would be served and approximately1 20 fewer schools would receive funding.
  • Education for Children with Disabilities: In addition, Illinois will lose approximately $24.7 million in funds for about 300 teachers, aides, and staff who help children with disabilities.

"There are currently a lot of pressures on the school with property tax, with reductions in the General State Aid, as well as the current legislation," said Paul O'Malley, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance. "We’re obviously concerned, it seems as if there are a lot of things happening at once."

"We’re going to have to be mindful of these issues, mindful that that may have an affect on budget," O'Malley continued. He said the Board of Education is aware of of the issues and, "We will closely monitor them to make sure that we are maximizing the education for students in order for them to achieve." 

• Work-Study Jobs: Around 3,280 fewer low income students in Illinois would receive aid to help them finance the costs of college and around 2,650 fewer students will get work-study jobs that help them pay for college.
• Head Start: Head Start and Early Head Start services would be eliminated for approximately 2,700 children in Illinois, reducing access to critical early education.
• Military Readiness: In Illinois, approximately 14,000 civilian Department of Defense employees would be furloughed, reducing gross pay by around $83.5 million in total.
  • Army: Base operation funding would be cut by about $19 million in Illinois.
  • Air Force: Funding for Air Force operations in Illinois would be cut by about $7 million.
  • Navy: Four planned Naval Station Great Lakes demolition projects ($2 million) could be canceled and a scheduled Blue Angels show in Rockford could be canceled.
• Law Enforcement and Public Safety Funds for Crime Prevention and Prosecution: Illinois will lose about $587,000 in Justice Assistance Grants that support law enforcement, prosecution and courts, crime prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, and crime victim and witness initiatives.

For the Oswego Police Department, Police Chief Dwight Baird said the biggest impact will be Oswego's grants through the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), which are federal funds.

"Oswego has three state routes and two U.S. highways so we have a lot of transient traffic," said Dwight, who said the grants through IDOT fund traffic enforcement in those areas. "That would be our major concern for Oswego right now."

• Vaccines for Children: In Illinois around 5,230 fewer children will receive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza, and Hepatitis B due to reduced funding for vaccinations of about $357,000.
• Public Health: Illinois will lose approximately $968,000 in funds to help upgrade its ability to respond to public health threats including infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological events. In addition, Illinois will lose about $3.5 million in grants to help prevent and treat substance abuse, resulting in around 3,900 fewer admissions to substance abuse programs. And the Illinois State Department of Public Health will lose about $186,000 resulting in around 4,600 fewer HIV tests.
• STOP Violence Against Women Program: Illinois could lose up to $273,000 in funds that provide services to victims of domestic violence, resulting in up to 1,000 fewer victims being served.