E-CAPS Number 10 

February 19, 2002

Greetings,

This issue of E-CAPS includes: 

1. STATE BUDGET UPDATES 
2. UPCOMING PUBLIC HEARINGS 
3. OTHER COMMUNITY ACTION NEWS 
4. RESOURCES FOR YOU AND YOUR CUSTOMERS

1. STATE BUDGET UPDATES

APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE PUBLIC HEARING On Friday, February 15th, Paul Puzzo and Edith Karsky testified at the Appropriations Committee Public Hearing against the over 11.5% cut to Human Resource Development funds proposed in the Governor's budget. This equals a $441,385 reduction in funding to CT CAAs. As many of you know, HRD funds are essential for CAAs to be able to provide state and federal programs that have little or no administrative funds attached or insufficient staff funds attached.

HRD funds are critically important for CAAs in CT and it is important that legislators know that a cut of this magnitude would certainly result in the curtailing of essential services for low-income residents. Examples of services that utilize HRD funding include: neighborhood centers, outreach, case management, information and referral, energy assistance, neighborhood centers, elderly nutrition, state-funded childcare, emergency food and other community-based services.

Other proposed budget cuts include: HUSKY Outreach: $3.9 million Child Care Certificate Program: $2.6 million Transitionary Rental Assistance (T-RAP): $2.4 million Neighborhood Youth Centers: $500,000 Individual Development Accounts: $400,000 State Appropriated Fuel Assistance: $2.1 million DCF Residential Care: $9.5 million Substance Abuse Prevention: $190,000 AIC Programs: $175,000

You can view the Governor's Proposed budget and the budget introduction on our website at www.cafca.org. You will also find CAFCA's position papers that outline the damage that budget cuts will create and six alternatives to cutting the budget.

This is a very important time contact the legislative leaders and your local legislators. Let them know about the seriousness of these proposed cuts and their effects on working and low-income families and on the capacity of CT's CAAs to deliver these services. Key leaders are the chairs of Appropriations (Rep. Bill Dyson, Sen. Joseph Crisco), Human Services Sub-Comm. of Approps (Rep. Jack Thompson , Sen. Toni Harp) and the leadership (Sen. Kevin Sullivan, Sen. George Jepsen, Rep. Moira Lyons, Rep David Pudlin). They are all Democrats. House Democrats can be reached at 1-800-842-1902 and Senate Democrats at 1-800-842-1420.

BUDGET ANALYSIS FROM CT VOICES FOR CHILDREN CT Voices for Children have added a couple of new reports to their website regarding the state budget.

Enhancing State Investments Through Smart Budget Choices Explains in great detail all of the alternatives to cutting the budget and how additional revenues could easily be raised to fill the budget gap. http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/CTvoices/kidslink/kidslink2/reports/PDFs/SmartBudgetChoices.pdf

The Citizens Guide to the Budget Explains in easy to understand language how the state budget is constructed. http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/CTvoices/kidslink/kidslink2/reports/PDFs/CitizensGuidetotheBudget.pdff

An Overlooked Form of Spending: Tax Expenditures & The Need For Review Shows how CT loses substantial revenues due to special tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy. http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/CTvoices/kidslink/kidslink2/reports/PDFs/Tax_Expenditures.pdf

2. UPCOMING PUBLIC HEARINGS

SELECT COMMITTEE ON HOUSING Thursday, Feb. 21, 2002 at 2:00 P.M. in Room 2B of the LOB. HB 5139 (RAISED) AN ACT PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR REHABILITATION OF LOW-INCOME RESIDENTIAL HOUSING. To reduce energy costs of low-income residential housing.

3. OTHER COMMUNITY ACTION NEWS

BUDGET CUT PROPOSED FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT - The Bush administration budget proposes to fund the CSBG at $570 million, a reduction of $80 million from the 2002 level. The president proposes a $130 million increase for Head Start (and establishment of a task force to prepare for the transfer of Head Start to the Dept of Education), and a $300 million cut in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, reports Community Action Partnership. For more information, visit the Community Action Partnership Web site (NACAA) at http://www.nacaa.org/news_washington.asp?m=mr

COMMUNITY ACTION ADOPTS NEW NATIONAL LOGO - The National Association of Community Action Agencies (NACAA) unveiled a new national logo that reflects the promise of community action. Community Action Partnership, Helping People. Changing Lives is part of a national branding campaign bringing attention to the work of Community Action and the value of a national network. For more information vistit the NACAA website at www.nacaa.org.

MOBILIZING COMMUNITY CHANGE: The CAA Call to Action - New guide from Community Action Partnership (NACAA) aims to strengthen grassroots advocacy programs; offers strategies for voicing local concerns. ($20 for Partnership members/$40 non-members) http://www.nacaa.org/news.asp?id=93

4. RESOURCES FOR YOU AND YOUR CUSTOMERS

EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT AND THE NEW CHILD TAX CREDIT The Earned Income Tax Credit and the new Child Tax Credit, are valuable payments that can help our customers to become more financially stable. The new Child Tax Credit, which is in addition to the EITC, could be worth up to $600 for a family.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Sites can assist your customers in filing their tax returns free of charge. list is available. Call 860-756-4660 for the VITA site near you.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has outreach materials, in both English and Spanish, available on their web site. Go to: www.cpbp.org/eic2002/index.html for the outreach kit and more information.

FREE TAX FILING FOR HOMELESS/LOW-INCOME PEOPLE Homeless and Low-Income individuals and families can file their Federal and State income tax forms for FREE on the Internet this year if their "Adjusted Gross Income" (income less deductions) is less than $25,000 a year at Low Income Tax Clinics.

Low Income Tax Clinics in CT include: Quinnipiac University School of Law Tax Clinic (203-582-3238) and the UCONN School of Law Tax Clinic (860-570-5165)

If your organization in providing free tax services this month through April 15th, consider setting up a computer at your office or shelter where individuals can file their taxes on the Internet themselves, or where a volunteer or staff member can assist them to do this. When filed in this manner, refunds come in about 10 days, not 4 to 8 weeks later - and seldom do returns get "lost" when mailed to a nonprofit organization's permanent address.

You can read the details from the "Intuit Financial Freedom Foundation," website at: http://www.quicken.com/freedom/

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORKS - And Their Application in Evaluation and Practice. New presentations from the Harvard Family Research Project After School Evaluation Symposium are now available. http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/afterschool/symposium/current_presentation.html 

DISCOUNTECH: Online Technology Store for Nonprofits Only - A new service of TechSoup and leading technology providers offers essential products at the best possible prices. http://www.techsoup.org/DiscounTech/default.asp

David MacDonald CAFCA Communications Director TEL: 560-5847 FAX: 560-5848

=========================================================== The CT Assoc. For Community Action (CAFCA) is the state association of CT's 12 community action agencies. For more information call us or visit our website at www.cafca.org. To subscribe to our printed newsletter, or to subscribe or unsubscribe to E-CAPS please email me at davidm@crtct.org. Past issues of our newsletter and E-CAPS are archived on our website. ===========================================================

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