April Statehouse Update

Dear Friends,

I want to thank those of you who participated in my recent legislative survey. Your input is vital to serving our district in Springfield. If you have not already participated in the survey, you may do so here.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me either through my website or by calling one of my offices via the contact information at the bottom of this newsletter.

Sincerely,

Senator Melinda Bush
31st District – Illinois

The State Budget

I have attended a number of budget hearings since the governor’s budget address. During those hearings, the Comptroller’s Office, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, the Civic Federation, the University Of Illinois Institute Of Public Affairs and the Illinois Community College Board updated senators on state finances and made recommendations on moving forward.

The various presentations offered a grim look at the state’s financial situation. The Comptroller’s Office is holding over $7 billion in unpaid bills, while state agencies have approximately $2 billion in additional bills they have not yet submitted for payment. Once submitted, these bills can take up to six months to be paid.

Fiscal responsibility does not always translate to deep budget cuts. Governor Pat Quinn’s budget proposed nearly $400 million in cuts to education. I am a firm believer that cutting spending is necessary; however, deep cuts to vital services are unacceptable.

State schools and universities are barely receiving enough money to operate. Some schools are waiting on nearly 80 percent of their state funding for this year. Costs of higher education have skyrocketed, and schools are unable to keep costs down without adequate and consistent funding.

Now that session has resumed, the ball is in the Senate’s court to recommend changes to the budget proposal. I am committed to working with my colleagues to find real solutions to dealing with our budget crisis without raiding funding for education, senior services and other programs for those most in need.

Infrastructure and Development

Most small business owners are quick to point out that one of the keys to their success – and therefore the success of our economy – is a quality infrastructure. I was thrilled to hear news last week that Lake County will receive nearly $9 million for road and bridge projects this spring. I am optimistic that once completed, these projects will aid our effort to make Lake County a better place for small business.

Other Legislation

In Lake County the market is unable to meet the demand for affordable housing. Statistics show that housing costs exceed the reach of many residents, be they young aspiring homeowners or seniors struggling with medical bills and layoffs. To help bridge this gap, I have co-sponsored Senate Bill 1244 – which creates a Lake County Affordable Housing Trust Fund designed to help struggling residents purchase affordable homes for themselves and their families.

I am also a chief co-sponsor of an initiative that will encourage current and future renewable energy development. By promoting renewable energy in our state’s energy portfolio, we will ensure that renewable resource developers have a stable customer base to finance current and future developments.

Update from the District

Spending the last two weeks in Lake County meeting with local residents, educators, business owners and public servants reminded me what an inspiring group of men and women you all are. I am continually moved both by your stories and the opportunity to help you succeed. If you would like to schedule a meeting with me or my District Staff to discuss an issue, please either call my office at (847) 548-5631 or send me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To wrap up my latest newsletter, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce my staff to you:

I am proud to work with a group of people so dedicated to our shared vision of a better Lake County. It is my hope that with their help, we can make our district a better place for all our residents.