Public Policy Forum to tackle major issues

Changes to the format of the annual Public Policy Forum at the State Capitol, to be held March 9, may make it easier for Catholics from across New York State to unite in lobbying lawmakers.

In previous years, a Mass started the day, said Dennis Poust of the New York State Catholic Conference. The Catholic Conference, which sponsors the forum, lobbies on behalf of the state's bishops. But many participants were unable to attend the liturgy because they were scheduled to meet with their legislators at that time. Some Catholics traveling from other dioceses also arrived late and missed the Mass.

This year's forum will begin with a prayer service, followed by a general assembly to discuss issues on the lobbying agenda. Mass will be celebrated after lunch by Cardinal Edward Egan of the Archdiocese of New York. Other changes include a special lunch for youth with a presentation by a state legislator.

DRUG LAWS

The list of issues to be advocated by the more than 1,000 Catholics expected to attend the forum is a hefty one. Topping it is reform of the Rockefeller-era drug sentencing laws -- reform that came "tantalizingly close" to being enacted last year, according to Mr. Poust, but failed when negotiations among Gov. George Pataki, the Senate and the Assembly broke down.

Advocates for reform note that the Rockefeller laws mandate harsh prison sentences for non-violent drug offenders who would be better off in rehabilitation programs. Mr. Poust said the laws were created to keep drug kingpins off the streets but have turned out to be "an utter failure."

For example, he said, a non-violent drug addict caught holding drugs may spend 15 years in jail, while someone who raped a child would be out of prison in ten.

"There are people who get convicted of manslaughter who get less time in jail than non-violent offenders who had over a certain amount of drugs," he stated. "Unless the laws are radically overhauled, there are going to continue to be injustices."

HEALTH

Catholics at the forum will be lobbying for several health-related issues, including increased access to health insurance for the uninsured and funding for behavioral health services.

After an initial push for people to sign up for the state-sponsored Child Health Plus and Family Health Plus insurance programs, said Mr. Poust, Gov. Pataki is now proposing cutting funding for these and for Medicaid. In addition, outreach to the poor who would be eligible for the health plans may be cut, and the current enrollment process itself is needlessly complex.

"The forms sometimes ask a lot of information, including questions on how you spend your money and if you take alcohol or drugs," Mr. Poust explained. Enrollees also have to meet face-to-face with an enrollment facilitator -- they can't sign up over the phone -- and must provide documentation to verify their income.

At the forum, lobbyists will propose simplifying both the questions and the enrollment process, and take a stand against proposed cuts that would eliminate services like dental and vision care. Mr. Poust pointed out that Gov. Pataki's budget proposes moving more than 77,000 children from Medicaid to Child Health Plus, which has a lesser array of services.

"Behavioral health" covers both mental health issues and substance abuse treatment. The 2004 executive budget plans to cut $62 million from such services, but a bill already passed by the State Assembly would create parity of insurance coverage for behavioral health services. Under the current system, copayments for mental health or substance abuse treatment are often much higher, and coverage of services is limited -- for instance, a patient may only be covered to see a psychiatrist 20 times.

UNBORN

Related to the health issues on the agenda is the Unborn Victims of Violence Act. Passed by the Senate but trapped in the Assembly Health Committee, this bill would allow those who assault a pregnant woman and maim or kill her baby to be charged with crimes against both the mother and child.

The Catholic Conference is quick to note that this is not an abortion bill; in fact, it specifically excludes abortion from the list of acts considered an assault on an unborn child. Instead, said Mr. Poust, the bill would cover "women who choose to have a baby and have that choice snatched away by an assailant."

The official noted that the highly publicized Laci Peterson case brought public attention to this issue. Mrs. Peterson was eight months pregnant when she was murdered last year; because her home state of California has an Unborn Victims law, her husband, Scott, was charged with murdering both Laci and her son, Conner.

According to Mr. Poust, Gov. Pataki has indicated he would sign the bill if it passed the Assembly, but Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has not allowed the bill to get a floor vote.

EDUCATION

Advocates are hopeful that this will be the year to create parental choice in education: namely, a program of tax credits, vouchers or scholarships to enable parents to choose the best school for their children -- including religiously affiliated schools.

Of all the issues on the legislative agenda, Mr. Poust said this one inspires the most passion among forum participants, because people feel that without funding, they're not empowered to make the best choices for their children.

Advocates of school choice believe that such a program would be a fiscally sound move for New York State, since vouchers or tax credits would cost less than what state and local governments currently spend to educate children in public schools.

For example, said Mr. Poust, if the state spends $12,000 per year per child but creates a $3,000 voucher, a parent could use that to place a child in another school -- and the other $9,000 would stay with the original school.

Advocates will also lobby for instructional materials and computer technology for all schools.

RELIGIOUS MISSION/PRACTICE

New York's poor economy means that state lawmakers are desperate to find new revenue streams, but one series of bills recently proposed in both houses of the State Legislature would find those funds through property taxes on non-profit institutions, including Church-sponsored ones.

While New York State itself, the state's largest tax-exempt landowner, would not be affected by the bills, private colleges and universities would. Faith-based and environmental institutions would also be hard-hit with new taxes, resulting in fewer services for the needy who depend on agencies like Catholic Charities for help.

"In many cases, legislators are genuinely not aware of the ramifications of these bills," Mr. Poust told The Evangelist.

The bills' sponsors allege that enacting them would stop abuses of property tax exemption laws, but objectors say enforcing current tax laws would accomplish the same purpose without threatening the free exercise of the mission of religious -- and other -- service providers.

"Non-profits save the state millions of dollars," Mr. Poust stated. "To tax them as if they're money-making ventures makes no sense and is self-defeating in the long run."

If the bills were passed, he added, many non-profits would be forced to develop land they own just to maintain their tax exemptions.

RURAL LIFE

Several issues affecting the lives of rural New Yorkers will be covered at the forum, including transportation, housing, economic development, and help for farmers and migrant farmworkers.

Regarding the first issue, Mr. Poust noted that because there is no public transportation in rural areas, both that and the state's "Wheels to Work" program (which helps people to get vehicles) need adequate funding. State monies are also needed to promote small businesses and revitalization in rural areas.

Quality, low-cost houses and apartments are also in short supply in rural areas. Lobbyists at the forum will advocate for tax breaks for developers who build affordable housing.

HOUSING

Two programs that have helped to preserve affordable housing in urban and rural areas -- the Neighborhood Preservation Fund and the Rural Preservation Fund -- are at risk of being cut by 50 percent this year under Gov. Pataki's proposed budget. The Catholic Conference hopes to see those programs restored to their prior levels and even expanded.

If not, Mr. Poust noted, New York's poorest residents will continue to pay half or more of their income on housing, leaving little for food, health care, clothing, education and other critical needs.

"Lack of affordable housing keeps people in poverty," he stated.

When Catholics from New York's eight dioceses meet with state lawmakers at the forum, the poor will be foremost in their minds.

"The poor are politically powerless," stated Mr. Poust. "They often don't vote; they don't give money to political campaigns; so they're an easy target" when it comes to budget cuts.

He added that "in bad economic times, we have tendency to blame and demonize the poor [by saying such things as]: `I pay too many taxes to support you.' Caring for the poor is an expensive proposition, so when you're looking to make cuts, sometimes those are the ones that present themselves. But the role of government and society is to provide for those who are unable to provide for themselves and empower them to do so."

This is the third year the Public Policy Forum has been held in the shadow of the Church's sexual abuse scandal, but officials believe they can still keep lawmakers' focus on the legislative issues. In fact, the advent of the Catholic Advocacy Network (which informs Catholics on issues via the internet and mailings) may result in even more attendees at the forum.

"Most people have chosen to stay [in the Church]," Mr. Poust affirmed, "and those who believe in the social teachings of the Church continue to believe in them."

(To learn more or sign up to attend the March 9 Public Policy Forum, go to www.nyscatholic.org or call Albany diocesan Catholic Charities at 453-6650.)

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