Yesterday, a bipartisan stopgap budget was enacted. This bill provides appropriations for schools, higher education, human services, capital projects and prisons for them to operate until January 1, 2017. We were able to do this by using a combination of General Revenue Funds and Other State Funds. Although this budget is only a temporary solution, this measure was critical to our state’s well-being.
For the first time in seven years K-12 education will be fully funded at the General State Aid rate. Thus, providing school districts with a funding increase of over $361 million; in addition, low income school districts will receive supplemental financial assistance from a $250 million equity grant. It is common knowledge that developing young minds early is important to prepare a child to enter school; therefore, early childhood education will receive a $75 million increase. Education is a fundamental need for our children and vital to sustaining a healthy economy, that is why I diligently worked to ensure more revenue was allocated towards classroom education without a tax increase or bailout for the Chicago Teacher’s Pension Fund (CTPF).
On top of the $600 million stopgap which was sent to Higher Education institutions in the spring, this bipartisan budget will provide an extra $1 billion to colleges and universities. Community colleges are allotted $114 million and $151 million goes to the Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants.
Human services will receive $701 million from the Commitment to Human Services Fund. This funding level coupled with spending authority from court orders and consent decrees will be enough for the state to pay 90% of the costs incurred by programs from July 1, 2015 to December 31, 2016. Also, there were appropriations made for capital projects to keep the state’s infrastructure improvements on schedule.
I know we are not out of the woods yet; it is the legislature’s responsibility to finish the job and pass a balanced budget. In addition, provide property tax relief to revive our housing and local business economies. To do this the legislature will have to come together and make compromises. We need to have a bipartisan plan that offers reform, revenue, spending changes, and policy changes that will create jobs and more economic opportunities for all Illinoisans. Tough decisions and votes will have to be made. I am ready to do this and it must be done sooner rather than later. Illinois can no longer afford to delay its $115 billion pension shortfalls, ballooning debt, and healthcare liabilities. Smarter decisions and decisive actions must be taken to steer Illinois on a course to be proactive rather than reactive.
As always, if you have any questions or comments about the topics discussed in this newsletter, or any other part of state government, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (815) 547-3436 or email me at sosnowski@ilhousegop.org.
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