On Wednesday, January 4th, Governor Corbett announced a statewide budgetary spending freeze of $157 million, including the removal of five percent to the line item for domestic violence services.

Funding for the spectrum of services that victims need was also frozen – five percent from Rape Crisis ($351,000), ten percent from Legal Services ($274,000), five percent from Homeless Assistance ($1,028,000), one percent ($10,005) to County Child Welfare, and five percent ($748,000) from the Human Services Development Fund. Many other line items were likewise cut.

Call the Governor TODAY and tell him that freezing essential funding for domestic violence services and other vital health and human services, at a time when programs have already suffered more than a decade of flat funding, is absolutely unconscionable and unacceptable.

Then call your legislator and ask him/her to stand up for victims of domestic violence by asking the Governor to restore these cuts.

How?

• Call the Governor’s office at 717-787-2500. Use the script below to guide your message.
• Contact your legislator to ask for his or her help by finding contact information on this website: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/#address
• Spread the message to friends, family, coworkers and neighbors! Please help us get this important message out to as many individuals as possible so that we can help preserve funding for victims of domestic violence. Thank you for your support!

Script and Talking Points for Calls

“My name is ________ and I’m calling _________ (from Women Against Abuse- the domestic violence program in Philadelphia county; as a supporter of Women Against Abuse; from Philadelphia County; as a concerned citizen of Philadelphia; on behalf of the victims of domestic violence in Pennsylvania). I’m calling because I am outraged at the Governor’s five percent budgetary spending freeze on funding for domestic violence services.

“This takes funding for domestic violence services back to pre-2001 levels, while both the cost of providing services AND the demand for our services has increased. We have already cut core programs and lost services for victims. We depend on other community services that were also frozen."

“We know that the Governor cares about domestic violence victims. We know that the budget freeze reflects unmet state revenue and savings projects. However, our elected officials have failed to act on many opportunities for additional revenues or use of the surplus and Rainy Day Fund.”

[To the Governor's office:] "I urge the Administration to restore this proposed cut before it cripples our ability to help victims in life-threatening crises."

-OR-

[To legislators:] "I implore you to please contact the Governor's office and urge him to restore this proposed cut before it cripples our ability to help victims in life-threatening crises."