Advocates: $2M cut would cripple victims programs
by Multiple Authors on Feb. 27, 2008, under Local, SpecialTucson advocates for crime victims say proposed cuts in state funding would devastate their efforts to help those harmed by lawbreakers.
Gail Leland, executive director of Homicide Survivors, said a proposed $2 million cut in state funds for compensation and assistance to crime victims and their families statewide could leave her organization struggling to help the families of homicide victims.
Kent Burbank, director of Pima County’s Victim Witness program, said cutting state funds for crime victims “is not going to serve the community needs.”
“It means that somebody else is going to be picking up the tabs.”
Rep. Russell Pearce of Mesa and Sen. Bob Burns of Peoria, Republicans who head the House and Senate appropriations committees, respectively, drew up recommendations last week to transfer millions of dollars from 108 funds or programs into the general fund to help offset a projected $1.2 billion shortfall this fiscal year.
The proposal would transfer $2 million from the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, which administers the victims compensation fund, to the general fund.
By law, the fund can provide up to $20,000 to compensate crime victims for medical bills, counseling services, lost wages and funeral expenses.
Local legislators said the recommendations are not a done deal.
“Nobody has agreed to anything,” said state Sen. Paula Aboud, D-Tucson, a member of the Senate appropriations committee.
“These bills aren’t going to a vote by the entire legislative body,” she said.
State Rep. Linda Lopez, D-Tucson, a member of the House appropriations committee, said the chairmen’s recommendations wouldn’t get through the Senate and House.
Though the recommended cuts aren’t likely, Lopez said, agencies still might be concerned.
“They need to stay on the radar for everyone, but in particular those negotiating the budget,” Lopez said.
The victims fund comes entirely from fines, fees and penalties charged to convicted criminals.
Burbank said it would be legal for the state to transfer the funds to help ease the deficit, but it’s wrong.
“It’s not the intent to fix the deficit,” Burbank said. “The funds are intended to help victims.”
Victim Witness is a program of the Pima County Attorney’s Office.
The office provides office space and technical support to Homicide Survivors.
The impact on agencies that count on the funds wouldn’t be felt immediately because the statewide fund has a surplus, Burbank said.
The agencies were counting on the surplus to ease federal cuts in funding.
Leland said she did not know how much of a cut would be passed along to Homicide Survivors if the recommendations were approved.
Of Homicide Survivors’ $157,000 budget, $20,600 was state funding, $110,273 was federal funding and $26,127 was from donations and fundraisers.
About one-third – $46,000 – went to help the families of homicide victims and $111,000 went to administrative costs, such as office supplies and pay for Leland and her staff.
“I have three paid staff,” Leland said, “one bilingual (victim) advocate; a three-quarter-time advocate, office assistant, and we just hired one half-time advocate, development director to try to seek other funds.”
Services provided by Homicide Survivors, depending on financial need, include funeral expenses, cemetery plots, a casket or urn, a headstone, grief counseling in English or Spanish, money for crime scene cleaning and repair of damage and for food, emergency clothing and shelter.
Leland said she does not expect to see a reduction in state funds this fiscal year, but next fiscal year “they very likely will be reduced,” Leland said.
The state fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.
Other local nonprofit organizations that could be affected by a cut in victim compensation and assistance funds, Leland said, include The Brewster Center, Chicanos Por La Causa, the Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center, Las Familias, the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault, the Tucson Center for Women and Children and Wingspan.
“We use those funds to assist victims,” Leland said.
Given her small budget, Leland said a cut in funding would result in fewer services to victim families.
If cuts come to pass, Leland said, “We will scramble, we will try to get more money for victim services” through donations.
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IF YOU GO
Homicide Survivors is organizing a rally Wednesday afternoon to protest proposed cuts in state funding for crime victims.
The rally is set for 2 p.m. at El Presidio Park, 160 W. Alameda St.
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CONTACT
Homicide Survivors
32 N. Stone Ave., Suite 1408
Tucson, AZ 85701
520-740-5729
Victim Witness Program
32 N. Stone Ave. 14th Floor
Tucson, AZ 85701
520-740-5525
By David L. Teibel, A.J. Flick
