The Illinois Senate passed legislation March 26 that balances the current fiscal year budget (fiscal year 2015) without any tax increase or borrowing, two days after the House of Representatives passed the same legislation.
State Sen. Sue Rezin voted in support of the budget fix – a vote she called “necessary” given the state’s current fiscal mess.
“For the first time in more than a decade, we have a balanced budget in Springfield,” Rezin said. “Gov. Bruce Rauner inherited a completely out-of-whack budget when he took office; however, working together in a bipartisan fashion, we did what was necessary to solve the first chapter of our state’s budget mess. We wouldn’t have solved this immediate budget crisis without Governor Rauner’s leadership.”
Rezin says funding for areas like child-care, court reporters, and corrections would have had severe funding shortfalls without this legislation.
“I had many constituents talk to me or call my office concerned about funding for certain programs, especially child-care,” Rezin said. “Hearing those concerns, I am pleased lawmakers did the right thing, taking action to save these vital services and protect jobs.”
Rezin said funding for local governments remains intact. There are also exemptions for funding for developmentally disabled, mental health, and autism programs.
“While we did have to make some cuts and use other funds to plug holes left by Democrat legislative leaders and former Governor Pat Quinn, this solution helps get our state back on track, and it stops leaving so many families in limbo about the immediate future,” Rezin said. “I am hopeful we can use this process as an example to move forward and make real reforms to fix Illinois, so we don’t have to make an emergency budget vote again. We have a long way to go with many difficult decisions to come, but working together, under the leadership of Governor Rauner, we can turn the fiscal condition of our state around.”