Last month, State Senator John G. Mulroe (D-Chicago) supported a balanced budget plan that would allow the Illinois Department of Transportation to invest more than $23 million in infrastructure improvements in the 10th Senate District next year. Those projects include congestion mitigation along Interstate 90 and Irving Park Road as well as resurfacing and adding ADA improvements to Higgins Road, Cumberland Ave. and Devon Ave.

“The Illinois Senate passed a balanced budget on May 23 that includes spending cuts, revenue and reforms,” Mulroe said. “Our plan would allow IDOT to implement over $23 million of improvements on time in the 10th Senate District and additional developments across the state. If the budget impasse continues, not only will these investments be delayed, but progress on current construction projects would also be stopped until IDOT has spending authority. Halting construction on job sites comes at a huge cost to taxpayers and would cause thousands of Illinoisans to lose their jobs.”

“We have done our part in the Senate and passed a balanced budget,” Mulroe said. “It’s time to end the budget impasse and stop this destructive cycle.”

For more information on IDOT projects in the 10th Senate district, click here.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator John G. Mulroe (D-Chicago) issued the following statement on the governor’s address on the eve of the special session:

I question the governor’s call for unity and to work together to resolve the budget impasse when he spent the better part of the legislative session attacking the Senate’s efforts to compromise. The governor’s actions are not consistent with his words. Instead of giving speeches, he should be negotiating with the Senate and the House.

The Senate passed a balanced budget on May 23 that mirrors the governor’s spending that he proposed in his budget address in February. Our budget cuts $3 billion, includes revenues that were negotiated with Senate Republicans and many of the reforms the governor has asked for. Yet, he threatened to veto it.

I remain hopeful that the governor will sign a budget and that we can end the impasse.

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Legislation sponsored by State Senator John G. Mulroe (D-Chicago) that requires standards for continuing education of probation officers and supervisors to be established was sent to the governor’s desk today. Senate Bill 1343 also requires the Division of Probation Services to broaden access to available training programs.

“Probation officers deal with a variety of situations that are constantly evolving,” Mulroe said. “By requiring the Division of Probation Services to establish continuing education standards for probation officers and supervisors, the officers will be better prepared to deal with the wide range of issues they encounter on the job. I encourage the governor to swiftly sign this bill into law.”

Senate Bill 1343 passed both chambers without opposition.

Illinois school districts that have struggled for decades under Illinois’ education funding formula may soon see increased funding under legislation to implement a new funding model supported by State Senator John G. Mulroe (D-Chicago). Illinois is currently ranked worst in the nation for school funding.

“I proudly supported this measure, which will provide additional funding to public schools, with special attention given to those in need,” Mulroe said. “Education is supposed to be the great equalizer, but under our current school funding formula, it is not. Senate Bill 1 will ensure that high-poverty school districts that have been shortchanged for years would see greater funding to level the playing field.”

Senate Bill 1 implements an evidence-based model for school funding, which accounts for factors such as students with disabilities, English language learners and low-income students. It provides additional support for the neediest districts in the quest for adequate funding. Illinois currently operates under a school funding formula that has not been updated in 20 years and relies heavily on local property taxes. Under Senate Bill 1, high-tax school districts are also eligible for property tax relief up to 1 percent of their EAV.

No school district would receive less funding under Senate Bill 1 than they have received under Illinois’ current school funding formula.

An analysis of Illinois State Board of Education figures released by Funding Illinois’ Future, a school funding reform advocate, shows potential funding increases for all local school districts in the tenth Senate district under Senate Bill 1.

To review the Funding Illinois’ Future analysis, visit fundingilfuture.org.