The budget negotiations now taking place between the City Council and the Mayor's Office -- joined by thousands of advocates representing all the people and organizations affected by these numbers -- will dramatically affect University Settlement's ability to meet the needs of our community going forward... 

Potentially, University Settlement may have to reduce supportive services for our older adults and families who need child care (particularly families with special needs children), shorten day camp sessions for children and adolescents, and completely eliminate our one-of-a-kind mental health program for children under 5; cuts totaling almost $750,000 per year.  A significant number of families will receive lesser services or be cut off entirely from our programs.

Hopefully, with successful advocacy and constructive negotiations, many of these programs will see their budgets fully or mostly restored. To some extent, this is the usual budget "dance" that takes place every year, in which priorities are fought over and resolved. In most years, the final outcomes are positive and this City continues its tradition of being generous and supportive of its many populations and service needs. This year is different, a direct result of the fiscal crisis, a crisis which now imposes hardships on our neediest families.

Unfortunately, when push comes to shove, social services take a severe hit, partly because the pain is hidden from public view and partly because the affected folks often don't vote and can't adequately represent themselves in the fight for scarce resources.

I am writing this note not as an appeal for help, but as a reality check for those who don't have access to this type of information. There is a price to pay for this economic crisis, primarily caused by one economic sector but affecting all other sectors disproportionately.  There have been times in the past when places like University Settlement may have tried to cover for these losses, seeking out new funding or cutting already depleted budgets, or simply running on fumes. But these options are no longer available to us. The non-profit sector is now more poorly resourced than in previous crisis periods; there are no spare dollars, no hidden troves, no magic formula that will make things better.

As I've noted before, University Settlement shall come through this period in reasonable shape, mostly because we have planned carefully, managed our cutbacks and new opportunities conservatively, and pursued entrepreneurial ventures where possible. We do not, however, have the cushion or flexibility or extra funds to eliminate the pain families will experience as a result of these budget cuts.

There may not be much that can be done about the economic crisis, but we should at least all understand that no one is immune from the impact of these cuts on essential human services. Hopefully, the budget negotiation process will end up in a good place, recognizing the loss of tax revenues but respectful of human priorities.