Introduction

Catholic Coalition for a Just Budget

“Acting Together To Preserve New Jersey’s Endangered Safety Net”

In 2003, Catholic Charities organizations, Catholic Hospitals, the NJ Catholic Conference and other organizations gathered together to form the Catholic Coalition for a Just Budget. In the face of looming cuts in the FY 04 state budget, the coalition formed to advocate on behalf of those we serve – especially the poor and vulnerable in our state. As catholic providers and leaders, we represent organizations that provide a critical safety net for New Jerseyans, employ thousands of others and are active in every corner of our state.

Our advocacy flows from our commonly held mission – to promote and foster human dignity through the provision of services that address basic human needs. Because we serve the poor and vulnerable, we are critically aware of the need for our services and for maintaining our capacity to serve our clients and patients. We are keenly aware that our services and programs are a vital part of the safety net for New Jersey. This safety net needs to be preserved and strengthened, especially in challenging times.

Our mission is carried out in a context – our communities and the State of New Jersey. The state budget is critical to our continuing work and reflects the priorities of our state and its leaders. The budget also represents the covenant that has historically existed between the state and our ministries in providing for the poor and vulnerable among us. This covenant needs to be attended to as the state budget for fiscal year 2006 is developed. We must honor our shared responsibility to those we serve.