Dear Friends,

Yesterday I voted along with my colleagues in the Senate to end this long, destructive budget impasse and set our state on a path toward fiscal stability. I voted to ensure that our schools open on time, that our social service agencies can continue to support vulnerable citizens within our community, and for our institutions of higher education to finally receive funding support after two years without a complete budget.

This budget is the result of genuine compromise after years of bipartisan negotiations. It includes revenue and reforms to sustain the state while reducing spending. It will allow the state to pay down the nearly $15 billion backlog of bills so that social service organizations, universities, hospitals, nursing homes and small businesses can receive payment for their services.

The state’s budget impasse has gone on far too long, and too many Illinoisans have been negatively affected by it. Without this action, bond rating agencies threatened to lower Illinois to an unprecedented “junk” credit rating. It was time to put an end to the suffering.

Unfortunately, the governor did not share that belief. Shortly after the balanced budget passed in the Senate Tuesday, the governor vetoed the package in its entirety. The Senate quickly overrode his veto. Now the House must also override the veto for the budget to go into effect and bring relief to a state in crisis. This vote could happen as soon as Thursday.

I have said all along that resolving the impasse would require a combination of spending cuts and revenue. This bipartisan package includes $2.5 billion in reductions to state agencies and programs and spends $1.2 billion less than the budget the governor introduced in February. In total, our plan spends $36.1 billion and brings in $36.4 billion.

Importantly, the bipartisan budget includes a revenue plan that will provide our state with long-term stability. Raising revenue is a responsibility we took very seriously. Before considering a tax increase, we attempted to make as many cuts as possible without damaging services and agencies.

The revenue package increases the income tax from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent – less than the 5 percent rate it was in 2014. The corporate income tax would increase to 7 percent. This budget also adds some progressivity to the income tax by increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit from 10 to 18 percent over the next two years and means tests income tax exemptions for the first time. The budget also eliminates three corporate tax loopholes, saving the state $125 million each year.

This budget supports communities, education and vital services. It includes an additional $350 million in funding to implement an evidence-based school funding model, which provides additional support for the neediest districts and aims to level the playing field. The plan also appropriates additional funding to support MAP grants for low-income students to attend universities and colleges in Illinois. It funds numerous human service programs the governor had gutted, such as immigrant services, addiction prevention and community youth services, among others.

Outside of budgetary matters, this spring the Senate passed pension reform, procurement reform, term limits, government consolidation and school funding reform. Many of these came at the request of the governor, and all were negotiated with Senate Republicans.

There is more work to do to alleviate the strain the budget impasse has placed on our state. For now, this is a giant step toward securing fiscal stability for Illinois. I am heartened by the progress and will continue to work with my colleagues to provide certainty for the state.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 773-769-1717 or reach out online with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Senator Heather A. Steans
7th District – Illinois

Upcoming events in the district

I hope that you will be able to stop by my tent on July 6, July 20 or August 17 at the Argyle Night Market between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Legislative handouts as well as face painting for children will be available.

Dear Friends,

Illinois’ credit rating currently sits just a step above junk-bond status and important trigger dates in the impasse are looming. I need your help to encourage the governor to sign a full-year budget and end the impasse. The Senate passed a balanced budget solution on May 23. Since then, it has been in the House under consideration while the governor has threatened to veto it.

Moody’s Investors Service as well as S&P Global Ratings have warned that Illinois could fall into junk-bond status on July 1, 2017. No state in the history of the nation has ever been downgraded to junk-bond status.

On the governor’s watch, our universities and our social service agencies have been decimated. Our state’s bond rating has been downgraded seven times since Gov. Rauner took office.

Though the governor walked away from budget negotiations on Dec. 7, 2016, the Senate worked tirelessly to pass a complete and balanced budget on May 23 that would provide fiscal stability and certainty.

The Senate Democrats’ budget plan includes the same spending level as the governor proposed and nearly $3 billion in spending reductions without jeopardizing the future of our universities and schools nor the vital work that human services provide. Our plan also balances Rauner’s nearly $5 billion out-of-balance budget.

With less than two weeks until the end of the fiscal year, time is running out to end the budget impasse before serious trigger points are reached. Those dates are:

• On June 30, the Illinois Department of Transportation will halt all work on existing projects if a budget is not passed. This will come as a huge expense to the state. According to the Transportation for Illinois Coalition, shutting down job sites will cost more than $3 million a day and will force approximately 30,000 Illinoisans to be laid off across the state.

• The first payment to state workers for the next fiscal year is due on July 7. State workers have continued to receive payment in the absence of a budget due to a court order.

• Without a budget, the state won’t be able to pay schools in August, which may delay their opening in the fall. As of May 31, the Chicago Tribune reported that the state is nine months behind on payments to CPS and owes the school district $467 million. CPS currently owes creditors $9 billion.

• Social service agencies in the district and across the state have been forced to bear much of the burden of the budget impasse. After months of delayed payments, many have been forced to reduce services, cut back on staff or close their doors entirely. More social service agencies will suffer if the impasse continues and will no longer be able to provide their vital support to our communities. Increasingly, social service agencies have come forward stating that they will not be able to make payroll by the end of the summer.

Several of our institutions of higher education received a further downgrade earlier this month, including five to junk-bond status. Illinois universities and community colleges have not received a full year of funding since 2015. Since then, universities have been forced to cut programs, implement furlough days and lay off staff. Moody’s noted that consistent state support could improve the universities’ credit rating.

I encourage you to reach out to the governor’s office to let him know that you want him to sign a complete budget that will set us on a path to fiscal stability. He needs to hear from you.

Tell him by email: http://bit.ly/EmailGovRauner
Tell him on the phone: 217-782-0244
Tell him on Twitter: @GovRauner
Tell him in a letter: Office of the Governor, 207 State House, Springfield IL 62706
Tell him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GovRauner/

I will continue to do my part to end the budget impasse. As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 773-769-1717 or reach out online with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Senator Heather A. Steans
7th District – Illinois

Upcoming Coffee and Conversation postponed

The Coffee and Conversation initially scheduled for June 24 at Budlong Woods Library has been postponed due to the special legislative session. We will work to reschedule the event later this summer.

Dear Friends,

Join me and Rep. Kelly Cassidy tomorrow night, June 13, at Charmers Café, 1500 W. Jarvis Ave., from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for a meet and greet. This is an opportunity to hear more about the balanced budget that the Senate passed, get updated on legislation we’ve been working on and get your questions answered.

Due to the size of the location, this will be a much smaller event. Please reserve your seat here if you haven’t already.

If you can’t make it tomorrow night, I hope that you’ll be able to join me for Coffee and Conversation at the Budlong Woods Library, 5630 N. Lincoln Ave., on June 24 from 1 to 2 p.m. Refreshments and parking will be available. Please let us know if you can attend here.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 773-769-1717 or reach out online with any questions or concerns.

I hope to see you tomorrow or at another event throughout the summer.

Sincerely,

Senator Heather Steans
7th District – Illinois

Dear Friends,

I know that many of you are frustrated about the budget impasse and have lots of questions. I share your frustration and want to help answer your questions.

Join me and Representative Kelly Cassidy for an inside look at the impasse and budget proposals on Thursday, June 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. Andrews Church, 5649 N. Sheridan Rd. We will provide an overview of the balanced budget that the Senate Democrats passed and how it differs from the governor’s plan. We will also discuss reforms and important legislation that was passed this session.

This event is free and open to the public. Please click here to reserve your seat. Free parking will be available.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 773-769-1717 or reach out online with any questions or concerns.

I hope to see you Thursday evening.

Sincerely,

Senator Heather A. Steans
7th District – Illinois

Tune in tonight

This evening I will be interviewed on Chicago Tonight on WTTW at 10 p.m. Tune in for a discussion of the budget impasse and the legislative session.

Upcoming events in the district

From street fairs to concerts and movies in the park, there are numerous free upcoming events in our community. For a complete list, click here.

There are also several farmers’ markets in the district throughout the summer and fall. Click here for the details and to find the closest one to you.