Don't Drop the Ball

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Parents and other community members fearing the loss of child care assistance in the state budget took action Thursday to educate the public and its leaders of the devastating effects of these cuts.

The 71 participants in the caravan assembled at John A. Logan College then visited the office of Representative Mike Bost and Senator David Luechetfeld in Carbondale.

In an expression of strong concern that offices in Springfield that "the ball was dropped," participants delivered 4,226 balls, each signed with a name or a message by parents or their children that would be effected by the change in the budget.

Representative Bost accepted the balls as well as a letter from the group to fax on to the leaders of his party, as well as the opposing party.

"I knew that this was a problem, and I'm glad that group like this are taking action," Bost said, "And I apologize that groups like this are being used as political pawns."

Bost commented on the stalemate currently being experienced with the budget, "We're willing to negotiate, and we have a lot on the table. But with things are the way they are [Mike] Madigan won't even bring them to the floor for debate."

As the participants headed out toward their next destination, Bost wondered where he would be able to store the large pile of balls.

"If we still have some of those boxes, we can ship some of them off to Madigan along with these letters," Bost said.

The caravan then headed off to the office of Representative John Bradley in Marion and the office of Brandon Phelps in Harrisburg. The group ended its trip by heading back to Carterville where it held a budget unity rally to educate the parents and community of the proposed cuts.

It is estimated that 100,000 children would no longer receive Pre-K, home visiting or parent education services and over 80,000 familes would lose child care.