Governor, Local Mayors Urge Passage of Stopgap Budget and Education Funding

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Bruce Rauner and several mayors from around Illinois today urged the Democrats in the General Assembly to return to Springfield and pass the GOP Leaders' stopgap budget (HB 6585/SB 3435) and education budget (HB 6583/SB 3434).

"We are in a critical time in Illinois with government services at risk of being shut down on July 1st without a stopgap budget," Governor Rauner said. "It would be an outrageous, tragic failure for the people of Illinois, and we can't allow this to happen."

The stopgap budget bill funds a variety of critical government operations and services including: paying vendors at the Illinois Department of Corrections and the Illinois Department of Human Services; allowing federal dollars to pass through state agencies to fund programs like the Child Care Assistance Program; ensuring construction projects at the Illinois Department of Transportation continue uninterrupted; and providing another bridge to public universities and community colleges.

The education bill ensures school districts will open on time in the fall. Under HB 6583/SB 3434, the vast majority of school districts will receive more money than the year before. Other districts would maintain the same level of funding from the previous year despite declining enrollment, reductions of the number of children in poverty and rising property values.

"The stopgap budget that has been introduced by our minority leaders in the House and Senate is a good idea," Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico said. "It's a good idea for the city of Naperville and it's a good idea for the state of Illinois. And regardless of whose idea it was, it should be voted on and it should be passed."

"The stopgap budget will allow operations to continue like critical road projects and other public infrastructure projects, economic development projects, city revenues, and the critical, critical opening of our schools to happen, as well as the funding of our agencies that are in the greatest need throughout the cities and the state of Illinois," Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey said.

Joining the Governor and Mayors Chirico and Morrissey were Mayor Sean Widener of Mahomet, Mayor Terry Blakeman of Ashland, and Mayor Barb Stamer of Auburn. These five mayors were among the more than 40 that signed onto an op-ed that first appeared in the Springfield State Journal-Register urging the General Assembly to pass the GOP Leaders' stopgap budget and education funding bill.

Video of the press conference can be found here. The attached pictures may be used for publication.

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