Critical Services Funded in FY15 Budget Fix

The Illinois House of Representatives passed Governor Rauner's FY15 Budget Fix today. The legislation now heads to the Senate and should be heard later this week. Here's what some of our members had to say:

House Republican Leader 
Jim Durkin
"...Governor Rauner inherited a $1.6 billion budget deficit the day he took office...I am pleased the Illinois House of Representatives began the hard work of straightening out our dire state finances."

Rep. Michael Tryon
“Through this act of bipartisanship, our most vulnerable citizens will continue to have access to State services, our courts will remain open, we will be able to meet payroll at our prisons, and low-income working Illinoisans will continue to have access to the child care assistance program.”

Rep. Steven Andersson
"This plan will help solve the emergency situation we are currently in regarding the state finances, and is necessary to provide future flexibility for the State moving forward. ”

Rep. Barbara Wheeler
"Today, the Illinois House of Representatives took its first steps toward working with Gov. Rauner in repairing Illinois’ fiscal catastrophe."

Rep. Ron Sandack
“The budget crisis we face today is the worst the General Assembly has ever seen. There is a very real threat that critical service areas of the budget will run out of money. Through a true act of bipartisanship, and pending Senate approval of the bills, we will now be able to finish this current fiscal year whole.”

"The bill passed by the House today gives Governor Rauner the flexibility he needs to correct the unbalanced budget which he inherited for the current year. It is very unfortunate that this action was needed, and I hope that it is only a temporary measure.”

Rep. Dwight Kay
"With the Governor’s commitment to reining in spending, I believe this is the appropriate action to take to fix the problem.”

Rep. Norine Hammond
It was important to the Governor and legislators, that we, “not fund this shortfall with tax increases on families or by borrowing additional money which would drive the state further into debt”