SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, released the following statement after the final passage of a full-year, balanced budget for the state of Illinois:
“The past two years without a budget caused serious damage to social services agencies, colleges, universities and communities across the state. To put an end to this devastation, a bi-partisan group of legislators worked together to put a full-year, balanced budget in place.
“This budget cuts current state spending by nearly $3 billion and will cost taxpayers over $1 billion less than the governor’s proposed budget. While there still is more that needs to be done to encourage economic growth and investment in Illinois, putting a budget in place is an important first step to stabilizing Illinois’ finances.
“With the approved budget, the state will once again be able to pay for programs that help prevent violence in our communities, provide home care to seniors, deliver early intervention services to our children, and protect victims of domestic violence. It will also provide must needed funding to community colleges and public universities, as well as financial aid to students.
“I am disappointed that Governor Rauner decided not to work with legislators on this budget. To truly address the issues facing in Illinois, all of our elected officials have a responsibility to put people over politics. That is why I supported compromise measures from the governor’s agenda, including updating the school funding formula, enacting workers’ compensation reforms and changing the way the state can purchase goods.
“Even when these reforms provided the governor with 90 percent of what he wanted, he refused to accept compromise. I and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle were forced to override his veto today to prevent the further destruction of our communities. It’s my hope that Illinois will never be forced into such a terrible situation again, and that moving forward the Governor will compromise in good faith with the House and the Senate in the best interests of the state.”