The State of Illinois is being called “heartless” in a new court filing from attorneys representing nearly 100 social service organizations that are owed money.
Agencies that provide care for seniors in their homes or advocate for early childhood education say the State of Illinois needs to pay them now.
They had contracts to do work for the state during a year-long budget impasse, but the legislature hasn’t agreed to fully reimburse them.
The state argues it doesn’t have to fully pay those agencies according to the language of the contracts.
Those suing Illinois for payments say it’s ironic the state agreed to pay government employees when there was no budget.
But then argue the state doesn’t have to pay the contractors who did the same thing.
Social services are asking a Cook County judge to issue an opinion quickly, because several are close to closing because they haven’t been paid.