A budget deal approved by Illinois lawmakers is raising concerns among funeral directors over a cut to a state program that helps pay burial costs for low-income people.
Illinois funded more than 8,600 funerals in the fiscal year ending June 2014. Illinois allows funeral homes to claim up to $1,600 for funeral expenses.
Roughly $9.5 million had been budgeted in the current year. The money has been taken out of the spending plan for the coming year.
Mark Justen is the owner of Justen Funeral Home and Crematory in McHenry. He provides roughly 30 funerals each year to people in public aid programs. He says a cut could be devastating.
