- Published: Thursday, May 28, 2020 01:58 PM
Putting our economy back on track
Between the state’s CURES Act and the federal CARES Act, over $800 million is earmarked for Downstate communities, of which $229 million is set aside to help downstate small businesses keep their doors open and recoup their losses. The money will be distributed through Business Interruption Grants from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
Reducing state spending
While we made historic investments toward both protecting public health and economic recovery, we managed to trim more than $1 billion in spending off the governor’s original budget.
Preventing cuts to our schools
The budget contains $8.9 billion in General Revenue Funds for preschool-12th grade education, marking a slight increase compared to the current fiscal year. There will be no cuts to public schools.
Protecting our seniors
The budget package also expands funding for the Community Care Program and the Home Services Program – programs that ultimately help vulnerable senior citizens and Illinoisans with disabilities stay in their homes who would otherwise have to be in assisted living facilities, which have seen several spikes in cases during the pandemic. Similarly, with the help of federal funding, the state’s Home Delivered Meals Program will nearly double its capacity for the upcoming year.
Helping working families bounce back
The spending plan provides $80 million in rent and mortgage assistance for people impacted by COVID-19 in downstate communities. We also set aside $10 million for mental health and substance abuse treatment related to COVID-19 in downstate communities.
In addition, the budget ensures construction projects continue, putting people to work and making sure essential goods and services can get where they need to go.
Reinforcing our health care infrastructure
To support the long-term stability of vital downstate health care institutions, ambulance providers, medical assistance providers, and community health centers will receive more than $118 million in federal funds through grants from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
Empowering your local health department
To assist local efforts to suppress the spread of COVID-19 at the local level, Senator Manar successfully fought to increase local health protection grants to certified local health departments from $23.1 million in the current fiscal year to $29.1 million starting July 1. This is in addition to hundreds of millions in federal funds provided by the CARES Act.
Boosting staff capacity at the Illinois Department of Employment Security
This vital state agency has fewer employees today than it did in 2008. We are investing significant resources into IDES so the agency can meet the demands of residents during this pandemic.
Freezing pay for state legislators
Our priority is to preserve the life-saving services that people rely on every day, which is why we appropriated $0 for legislator cost of living adjustments in the budget. Despite misinformation circulating on social media, no legislator will receive a pay raise this year. Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, who heads the state office responsible for processing state payroll, reaffirmed on Tuesday that lawmaker will be paid the same as last year.
To dispell the false rumors, Comptroller Mendoza released the video below.