Willis Calls on Rauner to Resume Bipartisan Budget Working Groups after State of the State Address

NORTHLAKE, Ill. – Following Wednesday’s State of the State Address from Governor Bruce Rauner, state Rep. Kathleen Willis, D-Northlake, issued the following statement urging bipartisan negotiation to solve the state budget crisis:

“Since day one, I have been committed to working with Democrats and Republicans alike to bring more money to our local schools, fund critical services, and create jobs in our community. However, since Governor Rauner took office two years ago the backlog of debt has escalated from $4.5 billion to over $10 billion and counting. At the same time, seniors and people with special needs have seen their vital services slashed while thousands of college students are leaving Illinois for out of state universities.

“While Governor Rauner seems optimistic about our potential to come together and pass a budget, he and all members of the General Assembly must acknowledge how much damage has been caused by the inability to compromise. Moving forward, legislators from both sides of the aisle must work to find common ground and pass real reforms that will improve our business climate without hurting hard-working middle-class families.

“I hope to see the governor agree to reopen the discussion and resume the bipartisan budget working groups immediately. Passing a full, balanced budget must be our first priority, followed by enacting reforms that will grow our economy and help middle-class families thrive.”