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Linda Osmundson of CASA puts a human face on the proposed budget cuts |
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Letters to the Editor - Published February 4, 2008
The voters have spoken. I wonder if they realize the consequences. Amendment 1 doesn't offer much relief but it does mean that St. Petersburg, Pinellas County and the Juvenile Welfare Board will be scrambling to cut budgets. JWB alone will lose nearly $5-million that goes to help families.
What effect will the voters' decision have? There will be a reduction in services. The easiest programs to cut are those that help poor people, children and people in dangerous situations like domestic violence. There will be less police protection. About a third of all calls police receive are related to domestic violence. There will be fewer firefighters. Domestic abusers burn down houses and take the lives of women and children.
There will be fewer services from CASA (Community Action Stops Abuse). We receive about a million dollars in grants from the city, county and JWB combined, a third of our budget. Are you ready to privately and consistently contribute your tax savings to keep our shelter, visitation center, legal advocacy and Peacemakers programs open? That is what it takes to keep our services intact.
We are already lean and depend on volunteers to help, but we must pay staff to work the weekends and nights and holidays when our volunteers are sleeping and playing with their families.
All families should count on a good night's sleep and time to play together. That is impossible living with domestic violence. Does anyone care about the women, children and men who need CASA's services?
Linda Osmundson, executive director, CASA, St. Petersburg |
