SPRINGFIELD - As the House of Representatives cancel another planned day of continuous session, more than 40 mayors penned an op-ed urging lawmakers to pass the GOP Leaders stopgap budget proposal and education budget.
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This is an excerpt of the op-ed that was published this morning in the State Journal-Register:
As the Illinois General Assembly departed Springfield on May 31 without passing a budget, we now face a very uncertain future that affects not only our government, but more importantly, our citizens.As this budget stalemate continues, we need a plan to ensure funding for schools and local government until a comprehensive budget resolution can be reached.
[…] as of today, schools around the state have received no appropriation for state funding for this upcoming school year. Without this appropriation, schools are left in the precarious position of trying to figure out how to fill the hole the state budget dollars has left. […]
Thankfully, a bill introduced in Springfield by State Rep. Jim Durkin and State Sen. Christine Radogno will fund early childhood, elementary and secondary education for the upcoming school year and ensure our schools open on time this fall. Unlike previously floated education plans, this proposal is fully funded and would not require any additional revenues or add to the state's ever-increasing bill backlog. Additionally, the bill contains a hold-harmless provision which ensures that any school which would have lost dollars under the current funding formula will at least receive the same amount as they did last year. […]
Another bill introduced by leaders Durkin and Radogno serves as a bridge to keep government functioning and protects public health, welfare and safety. As mayors, it is critically important that we have much-needed funding to address our local infrastructure needs. This fully funded stopgap budget funds the state's full road construction program in Fiscal Year 2017, including bridge repair and local government road allocations, which are funded predominantly out of motor fuel tax funds and vehicle registration fees. […]
This common-sense plan serves as a bridge that allows schools to open, protects public safety and avoids a government shutdown. This plan is fiscally prudent and fully-funded, contrary to the numerous unfunded, out-of- balance spending plans we've seen come out of the legislature this session.
Full List of Mayors:
Steve Chirico
Mayor-City of Naperville
Dale Adams
Mayor-Village of Rockton
Jim Ardis
Mayor-City of Peoria
Liandro Arellano, Jr.
Mayor-City of Dixon
Frank Bart
Mayor-Village of Wauconda
Tim Baldermann
Mayor-Village of New Lenox
Dale Berman
President-Village of North Aurora
Terry Blakeman
President-Village of Ashland
Elizabeth Brandt
Mayor-Village of Lincolnshire
Kevin Burns
Mayor-City of Geneva
Mike Chamberlain
Mayor-City of Belvidere
Michael Einhorn
President-Village of Crete
Nina Epstein
Mayor-City of Kankakee
Dane Flesner
Mayor-City of Mount Sterling
Gary Golinski
Mayor-City of Yorkville
Jerry Gunn
President-Village of Camp Point
B.J. Hackler
Mayor-Village of Saint Joseph
Rich Hill
Mayor-Village of Round Lake Beach
Mike James
Mayor-Village of Downs
Kevin Klute
President-Village of Port Byron
Rick Lack
Mayor-City of Colona
Lawrence Levin
President-Village of Glencoe
Daryl Lindberg
Mayor-City of Loves Park
Robert Loy
Mayor-Village of Winthrop Harbor
Joseph Mancino
Mayor-Village of Hawthorne Woods
Dominic Marturano
Mayor-Village of Lindenhurst
Michael McCormick
President-Village of Godfrey
Martin McLaughlin
President-Village of Barrington Hills
Ron Mool
Mayor-City of El Paso
Kyle Moore
Mayor-City of Quincy
Steve Morley
Mayor-City of Elmhurst
Larry Morrissey
Mayor-City of Rockford
Martha Neitzel
Mayor-City of Lincoln
Ruben Pineda
Mayor-City of West Chicago
Scott Raes
Mayor-City of Moline
Ray Rogina
Mayor-City of St. Charles
Bob Russell
Mayor-City of Pontiac
Frank Soto
President-Village of Bensenville
Barb Stamer
Mayor-City of Auburn
John Thodos
Mayor-City of East Moline
Sean Widener
President-Village of Mahomet
Ken Williams
Mayor-City of Oregon
Jeff Bloemker
Mayor-City of Effingham
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