DANVILLE — Despite the debate that continues to rage over the proposed gross receipts tax, access to affordable health care remained very much on the minds of local officials and citizens at a meeting Thursday at Danville Township.

According to speakers at the event, Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s health-care and education initiatives must be passed before the 2008 election campaigns get into full swing.

“The need is clear, and the time is now,” Chuck White, a Danville Township trustee and member of the Vermilion County Board, told the group.

Danville Township’s Roger Boen agreed.

“Danville Township supports the governor’s plan,” Boen said. “As far as the gross receipts tax, some sort of compromise is needed. Health care and education are the top priorities.”

Boen clarified for the audience that his full title is supervisor for aid to the poor. In that capacity, he oversees all indigent residents in the township .

“I have people who come to me who’ve worked their whole lives, but now they can’t. They need help, especially with their medical needs,” Boen said. “All I can give them is $100 to live on a month and money for their prescriptions. I can’t get them medical care.

“Many are women with breast cancer. What I’m handing them amounts to a death sentence,” he said.

Kathleen Orrington, a Danville resident, finds herself in her own health-care emergency.

I’m a widow, and I’m unemployed right now.” Orrington said. “Of all the times in my life, I have a health problem now. I can’t hear out of one ear.

“I’ve been an RN for 26 years. I know health care is a big business,” she said. “I’ve paid thousands of dollars of my own money for tests, and I still don’t know what’s wrong with my hearing. It could be something simple or something major.

“Now, because I don’t have insurance, I don’t matter at all. I can’t have more tests until I pay for the ones I’ve had, thousands of dollars. This is how you wipe out the middle class.”

White empathized with the financial pressure Orrington feels.

“I’m a veteran,” White said. “I had gangrene in my foot, and I had to have it amputated at the Danville VA.

“They give you a means test to see how much you can afford to pay,” he said. “My hospital bill came to $169,000. They’ll get their money — it comes out of your income tax.”

The wife of another veteran faces a different dilemma.

Kim Thompson’s husband, Richard Jr., recently retired from the U.S. Marine Corps after 29 years of service. The Danville couple learned his health insurance premium will triple in January.

She hoped that Illinois Covered would be more affordable than her husband’s insurance.

“They’re raising the rate for veterans under 65,” Thompson said. “My husband gave 29 years of his life to the service. He has health problems related to what he did while he was on active duty that make it difficult, if not impossible, for him to do certain types of work.”

Jim Duffett has heard similar stories around the state. The guest speaker at Thursday’s meeting heads the statewide Campaign for Better Health that supports the governor’s proposed health-care plan.

“Illinois Covered will benefit individuals and businesses,” Duffett said. “It will also lead to more health-related jobs.”

Duffett urged those in the audience to contact their state representatives and express their support of Illinois Covered.

“We have a shared opportunity and a shared responsibility . . . to pass a comprehensive health-care plan,” he said.