By: Christine Souders
csouders@cbs4qc.com
Nationwide, signs
of 1.2 trillion dollars worth of federal spending cuts, known as
sequestration are kicking in.
The
automatic spending cuts are taking effect after congress failed to reach an agreement
to stop the cuts before the March 1st deadline.
This
year, more than $38 billion will be slashed across the board from
government agencies, for example dramatic reductions in defense and non-defense
funding, including education, health, and human services.
The
effects of the sequester are expected to cost $750,000 workers their jobs
by the end of this year.
The
cuts could continue over the next 10 years, unless lawmakers come up with a
solution.
So how could Sequestration impact us here in the Quad Cities?
A public
meeting held by a group of local organizations Wednesday, many Quad Citians' learned they are going to feel the effect
of the sequester on their wallets,
and families we talked to said they'll have to make big
sacrifices in the coming months.
John Reed and his son Elias attended the sequestration
discussion held at Community Health Care in Rock Island.
Afterwards, Reed said his concerns only got worse when it became clear
to him that state funded services he depends on to provide care for his son
will be in jeopardy,
"Elisa has multiple disabilities, with the sequester
happening, it would make it harder for Elisa to keep the skilled care, the
community care help that comes out to the house."
The most impact is expected to hit one of the largest
employers in the Quad Cities, The Rock Island Arsenal.
By the end of April, employees like Andrew Wagner will be
forced to take days off.
He said he'll lose out on $600.00 a month because of the
federal cuts.
"I'm trying to start up a business, and this is going
to put me on hold. The extra money I was hoping to put into it isn't going to
be there."
The Arsenal estimates millions of dollars will be cut in the
next year.
and local activists said even those who aren't directly
affected will also feel the hurt.
"Fewer haircuts, less trips to the museum, less trips
to the movies. Small business' will also feel the impact in less spending from
furlough employees," said Tracy Leone, an Iowa Federation of Labor.
A
petition circulated during the meeting to appeal sequestration.
a
bill to appeal sequestration has been introduced to congress, and local
organizations are asking people to contact their state lawmakers.
