- Published: Friday, May 29, 2015 10:12 AM
SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) voted Wednesday to support villages, cities and counties by voting down a 50 percent cut to their funding.
“These cuts would have devastated local governments and the communities they serve. From my time in local government I understand the challenges of running a city and county. The Governor’s proposed cut would have significantly reduced police protection, emergency services and caused hundreds of layoffs. Local government shouldn’t have to pay for the inability of state government to balance its budget,” Manar said.
A proposal introduced in Gov. Rauner’s budget included a roughly half-billion dollar cut to the state’s Local Government Distributive Fund that villages, cities and counties receive from state income taxes.
Local governments rely on this shared revenue for day-to-day operations, maintenance, employee salaries and to offset local property taxes.
Communities use LGDF money to finance emergency 911 services, police departments, public utilities and other essential services.
The proposal was rejected by the Senate on a 0-39 vote with no republican support.
