There were a slew of articles today from around the country about the impact of federal budget cuts on local communities, particularly for local education programs (see below). These articles detail the impact of cuts on a wide variety of programs and constituencies, from summer school to youth vocational education, from a rape crisis hotline to arts and music classes, from school counseling to early-reading instruction. Many of these cuts are finally being felt at the local level, despite being approved by Congress up to a year ago. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a report last week stating that 20 states have made or proposed budget cuts that threaten vital services, including public health programs (13 states), services for the elderly and disabled (five states), K-12 education (nine states), and college and university programs (12 states). The CBPP report has an excellent passage about the importance of federal assistance during economic downturns - particularly in supporting state level investments: The federal government, which can - and arguably should - run deficits during troubled economic times, can help states minimize damaging budget cuts by providing assistance to the states, as it did in the recession in the early part of this decade. Federal assistance can lessen the extent to which states take these harmful, "pro-cyclical" actions and prevent budget cuts in vital services residents need. Hopefully those in Congress who are crafting the FY 2009 budget resolution this week will remember their decisions on funding will have consequences for real people down the road. Hopefully they will make the choice to invest in our communities by restoring some federal funding in areas that have been drastically under funded the last few years and help the states support its services when people most need them. Chicago Tribune: Federal funding cuts could devastate rape crisis hot lines Chicago Daily Herald: Fox Valley jobs program, participants face tough times with budget cuts San Diego Union Tribune: School board approves cuts to budget and loss of jobs Charlottesville, VA: Madison Co. School Budget Cuts Baltimore Sun: Lean budget proposal unveiled in Carroll Arizona Republic: State universities await ruling on budget cuts