AFSCME launches major national ad campaign urging Senate to prevent ‘painful cuts to essential public services’

“After months of delay, the Senate must get its act together to beat the virus and safely reopen the economy. Unless the Senate provides $1 trillion in aid to states, cities, towns and schools, Americans face massive cuts to essential public services like health care, education, emergency response and sanitation.” – AFSCME President Lee Saunders

The new national ad will air on CNN, Fox and MSNBC and warn of painful cuts to essential public services across America if the Senate does not deliver $1 trillion in federal aid to states, cities, towns and schools. AFSCME is also running targeted ads in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri and North Carolina.

WASHINGTON — With coronavirus cases spiking and budget shortfalls in states and localities spiking across the country, AFSCME today released a national cable ad buy calling on Congress to avoid “painful cuts to essential public services.”

AFSCME has long pushed for $1 trillion in federal aid for states, cities, towns and schools to keep essential services running. The national ad campaign complements state-specific ads making the same demand, part of the union’s aggressive “Fund the Front Lines” campaign, which includes grassroots calls and letters, earned media and previous advertising.

The new national ad warns voters that without aid there will be continued massive cuts to essential public services like trash pickup and that teachers, nurses and other essential public service workers who are needed to beat the pandemic and reopen the economy will be laid off in larger numbers.

“After months of delay, the Senate must get its act together to beat the virus and safely reopen our economy. Unless the Senate approves $1 trillion in federal aid for America’s states, cities, towns and schools, Americans face massive cuts to essential public services like health care, education, emergency response and sanitation,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “With 1.6 million public service workers laid off – the very people on the front lines of fighting the pandemic – the country faces a worsening pandemic, an even more devastated economy and devastated communities for years to come. And rest assured, voters will know who caused it.”

House Acted, Senate Hit Pause
In May, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with support from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, led passage of the HEROES Act, which would extend unemployment insurance and provide aid to states, cities, towns and schools. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decided to hit pause even as the virus raged across the country and weekly unemployment claims topped 1 million.

Since that time, state and local elected leaders, both Democratic and Republican alike, have expressed growing urgency for federal relief. The National Governors Association (NGA), led by Gov. Larry Hogan (R-Md.) and Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.), has repeatedly called for state and local aid. Calls have also come from within Kentucky, including from smaller communities that have been hit by budget shortfalls due to the pandemic. Mayors and community leaders from other hard-hit states like Georgia and North Carolina have also recently called for immediate aid.

Bipartisan Experts and Vast Majority of Voters Support Aid
Experts also agree state and local aid is essential for getting our economy back on track. According to top economists, every dollar invested in public services yields $1.70 in economic activity. This aid is not a bailout; it’s an investment that will pay for itself by enhancing economic activity and preventing us from falling into a deeper recession.

Polling shows that 84% of voters approve of significant federal funding for states, cities and towns to overcome the devastating economic effects of the coronavirus on the economy, as well as to maintain vital public services. Even 77% of voters in Senator McConnell’s home state of Kentucky back $1 trillion in federal aid to states, cities, towns and schools, and overwhelmingly reject his call for letting states go bankrupt to deal with the budget shortfalls caused by the coronavirus.

AFSCME national ad script:
The coronavirus is wrecking state and local budgets.

If the Senate doesn't act it will mean painful cuts to essential public services across America.

Fewer teachers and nurses, longer response times, dirtier streets.

But some say our states should just go bankrupt.

Text 'FUND' to 237-263 to tell Congress to fund our essential public services.