In this issue:
- Thank you storm response crews
- Curious comments from the Speaker of the House
- Local fire departments approved for small equipment grants
- Incredible morning at the Community Resource Fair!
Thank you storm response crews
A heartfelt thank you to all of the crews and organizations working tirelessly in the aftermath of the recent storms.
We are especially grateful for the dedication of our linemen, first responders, EMS personnel, firefighters, law enforcement officers, public works employees, road crews, utility workers, volunteers and community organizations who have been working around the clock to restore power, clear debris, reopen roads and keep our communities safe.
Your long hours, hard work and commitment do not go unnoticed. Thank you for stepping up when our communities need you most and for helping our neighbors recover and rebuild.
Please continue to stay safe as cleanup efforts continue. We appreciate all that you do.
Curious comments from the Speaker of the House
I was surprised by some comments the Speaker of the Illinois House made following the end of session passage of the largest state budget in Illinois history. The Speaker said, “By using our processes and taking the time to listen and get it right, we delivered finished products that were better than we could have ever imagined,”
The comments are curious given what went on in Springfield in the closing hours of the legislative session.
By “using our processes” the Speaker is referring to a troubling lack of transparency as budget language was introduced, rules were suspended to move them through the process even faster, and then a 3000-plus page budget was quickly voted upon before anyone had time to review it.
The comment about delivering “finished products that were better than we could have ever imagined,” is also a head-scratcher.
That “finished product” was a $55.9 billion budget which included an $800 million tax increase to help pay for all the new spending.
Illinois families will end up footing the bill for this spending spree.
This has become sadly routine in Springfield. The final draft of the taxing-and-spending package is negotiated behind closed doors and not revealed until the final hours of session, then it is quickly rushed through the process in the middle of the night. This is our most important responsibility every year – passing a balanced budget to meet the state’s important priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. It deserves more than a few hours’ consideration before it is rammed through.
Speaker Welch’s celebration of this badly broken and non-transparent process is definitely curious.
Governor Pritzker signed the budget into law on Tuesday.
Local fire departments approved for small equipment grants
The Office of the State Fire Marshal recently approved grant awards to fire departments all over the state for purchases through the Small Equipment Grant Program. A total of 260 fire departments statewide were approved, including several in or near our district. The program focuses on purchases of small firefighting and ambulance equipment up to a maximum of $26,000.
Local departments receiving grant awards included the Morris Fire Protection and Ambulance District ($26,000), Braceville Fire Protection District ($24,961), Coal City Fire Protection District ($23,945), Sheldon Fire Protection District ($26,000), Martinton Fire Protection District ($23,625), Grand Ridge Volunteer Fire Department ($20,000), Cullom Fire Protection District ($26,000), Chatsworth Fire Protection District ($23,638), City of Fairbury ($22,209), Dwight Fire Protection District ($23,715), and the Lexington Fire Protection District ($22,446).
A total of $6 million was awarded to departments throughout the state.
Incredible morning at the Community Resource Fair!
What an incredible morning we had at the Community Resource Fair in Watseka!
We were honored to connect so many members of our community with valuable agencies, organizations, and resources that can make a real difference in their lives.
A huge thank you to the amazing vendors who took the time to participate, share information, and serve our community. Your dedication and willingness to help others is what makes events like this such a success.
We are grateful to everyone who attended and helped make this event meaningful. Together, we are building a stronger, healthier, and more connected community!
Community Health Improvement Week is all about coming together, and last Wednesday was a wonderful example of what can happen when we do.
Our current bill backlog
When a vendor provides the state with goods and services, they submit the bill to the Illinois Comptroller for payment. The Comptroller processes the paperwork and pays the bill when funds are available in the state’s checking account. Currently the total amount of unpaid bills is $1,793,059,173. This figure changes daily. Last year at this time the state had $1.8 billion in bills awaiting payment. This only includes bills submitted to the Comptroller for payment, not unfunded debts like the state’s pension liability, which is well over $100 billion.
Illinois headlines
NFIB Illinois State Director reacts to below average May small business optimism report
Company to close three Illinois power plants in coming years
Final ‘witness tree’ outside Lincoln’s Springfield home destroyed by storms
La Salle County EMA looking to request storm damage assistance