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Politics & Government

What Will Illinois Lose in the Sequester?

The state might take a crippling hit if congress does not act before Friday.

By Ryan Fitzpatrick

Deep, nationwide cuts are poised to kick in Friday, March 1, 2013. They're the first of a decade-long $1.2 trillon budget-cut plan that will begin unless Congress can compromise on a deficit-reduction plan.

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

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  • Teachers and schools: Illinois would lose about $33.4 million in funding for primary and secondary education, putting about 460 teacher and aide jobs at risk. In addition about 39,000 fewer students would be served and about 120 fewer schools would receive funding.
    • Education for Children with Disabilities: In addition, Illinois would lose approximately $24.7 million in funds for about 300 teachers, aides, and staff who help children with disabilities.
  • Work-study jobs: About 3,280 fewer low-income students in Illinois would receive aid to help them finance the costs of college, and about 2,650 fewer students would get work-study jobs that help them pay for college.
  • Head Start: Head Start and Early Head Start services would be eliminated for about 2,700 children in Illinois, reducing access to critical early education.
  • Military readiness: In Illinois, about 14,000 civilian Department of Defense employees would be furloughed, reducing gross pay by about  $83.5 million.
    • Army: Base operation funding would be cut by about $19 million in Illinois.
    • Air Force: Funding for 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 would 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.
  • Vaccines for children: In Illinois around 5,230 fewer children would 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 would lose about $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 would lose about $3.5 million in grants to help prevent and treat substance abuse, resulting in about 3,900 fewer admissions to substance abuse programs. And the Illinois State Department of Public Health would lose about $186,000, resulting in about 4,600 fewer HIV tests.
  • STOP Violence Against Women Program: Illinois could lose up to $273,000 for services to victims of domestic violence, resulting in as many as 1,000 fewer victims being served.
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