|  Massachusetts
Budget Fiscal Year 2009 (July 1, 2008 - June 30,
2009)
Support funding for sexual assault and domestic violence
victims
and their families!
On Wednesday, May 21, the Massachusetts Senate will begin debate on the
Fiscal Year 2009 Budget. Your calls made the difference in the House and
resulting in a proposed increase of $1.2 million.
Please take a minute to make a phone call or send an email and help us
convince the Senate that they can do something about the public health
crisis in our state:
• The year 2007 marked the highest rate of domestic violence homicides
in Massachusetts in the past fifteen years: 55 deaths occurred. As a result,
25 children were left without one or both parents.
• This year we are on course to exceed that with 21 deaths so far
in 2008.
• According to the Department of Public Health, last year over 2400
individual reports of sexual assault were made. Sexual assault is often
a facet of domestic violence.
• Unfortunately, due to the long term impact of funding cuts, last
year victims seeking emergency shelter from violence had a 1 in 7 chance
of finding it.
Here’s where things stand:
4800-1400 Comprehensive Domestic Violence Services |
4513-1130 Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Prevention
& Treatment Services |
FY’08 budget $23,019,767 |
FY’08 Budget $3,866,677 |
FY’09 House (amended) $22,972,526 |
FY’09 House (amended) $5,066,677 |
JDI Total Request for FY’09 $28,890,000 |
JDI Total Request for FY’09 $6,445,451 |
Senator Edward Augustus along with Senator Susan Tucker will be filing
an amendment to increase funds for sexual assault and domestic violence
intervention and prevention services by a total of $10 million above the
current year budget.
Please take a minute to make a call or send an email to your Senators
to ask them to add their names as co-sponsors. Let them know that these
issues are critical for you and the community where you live.
What can you do to help?
1. Contact your State Senator and urge them to sign onto the amendment
filed by Senator Augustus.
2. Contact Senate Ways & Means Chairman Panagiotakos
and urge him to play a leadership role in addressing this crisis. Call
(617) 722-1630 or email him at
Steven.Panagiotakos@state.ma.us
3. Contact Senate President Therese Murray at (617)722-1500 or email her
at Therese.Murray@state.ma.us.
4. Forward this information to everyone you know & ask them to join
you in advocating for this request.
If you know your State Senator, you can find their contact information
here:
http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenus.htm
To find out who your State Senator is and a link for their contact information,
go to:
http://www.wheredoivotema.com
Here are the materials you need:
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