PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)– Illinois Republicans in Washington D.C. and state Democrats are aligning for a common goal. The two groups are sending letters to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s office. They want the administration to reconsider keeping funds from social service agencies.

Two state departments are reportedly reducing or delaying state funding to those agencies who received the Federal Paycheck Protection Program.

The two letters, one sent from Illinois Republicans in Washington on June 3, and the other sent from state Democrats on June 17.

Lawmakers are asking the administration to watch over the Department of Human Services’ and the Department of Children and Family Services’ as both are reportedly stalling state funding to non-profits that received the Paycheck Protection Program funds from the federal government.

A Peoria non-profit, Crittenton Centers, is a child welfare organization. It said Wednesday it applied for federal PPP.

“It was like mid-May, we started receiving communications from DCFS and DHS that they were wanting to know if we received PPP funds because if we had, they were going to withhold funding from fourth-quarter payments,” said President/CEO of Crittenton Centers, Jeff Gress.

D.C.’s GOP submitted a five-paragraph letter reading in part: “Nonprofit human service providers should not be penalized for their efforts to maintain their operations during this crisis…”

PPP Republican letterDownload

State Democrats’ six-paragraph letter reading in part: “We strongly urge you and your administration not to reduce any state funding to social service organizations because they have received PPP funds.”

PPP Democrat letterDownload

The PPP was authorized by congress in the cares act to allow businesses and nonprofits to keep employees on payroll and off unemployment.

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