Yesterday, in front of a semi packed room in the Kroc Center, State Senator Emil Jones (D-Chicago) hosted a rally with SEIU, CAPS, Roseland Hospital, daycare advocates and area ministers to denounce Governor Rauner’s vicious cuts that target working families.

“We won’t stand idly by and watch our community suffer at the hands of Governor Rauner’s corporate agenda,” said Senator Jones. “What about the family agenda? Governor Rauner is so focused on helping his City Club friends that he has forgotten the working families in Illinois.”

Since July, 2,000 working mothers and fathers have been denied child care assistance. Child care advocates are concerned that more stringent acceptance requirements will force more parents to leave their jobs and rely on more government assistance.

“We have fought this fight with the governor time and time again,” Jones said. “The new requirements for working families to receive assistance for child care are forcing parents from their jobs. A family of four now can make no more than $10,000 per year to qualify for this program. It’s unrealistic to think that a family making $20,000 per year could afford to pay for child care and still have food on their table.”

Speakers at the rally encouraged attendees to get involved and have their friends and neighbors contact the governor and let him know these cuts are putting families in a losing situation.

“It’s time to wake up,” said Senator Donne Trotter, who also spoke at the rally. “Now is not the time to sit and wait to be rescued. We must work together.”

This week, the Senate is voting on a temporary budget that ensures state workers are paid and the state can remain operational for the next month. The measure will be sent to the governor to be either signed or vetoed.