Smith Highlights Priorities for 101st General Assembly: Committed to Protecting Middle-Class Families

SPRINGFIELD, Ill – Continuing to push for a legislative agenda focused on job creation, improving educational opportunities, and improving the quality of life for all residents in the district, state Rep. Nicholas Smith, D-Chicago, issued the following statement today after he was sworn in as state representative for Illinois’ 34th House district:

“As I begin my second term as state representative, I am committed to continuing my efforts in protecting the wages of hard-working families. While I am in Springfield, I am fighting for real reforms and working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation that strengthens our economy. With one of the most regressive tax structures in the United States, Illinois’ hard-working families are forced to pay more in taxes. By requiring millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share, cutting burdensome fees on small businesses and providing tax credits for employers that create new jobs, we can lift up the middle class and ensure that working families throughout Illinois will be able to keep more of what they earn.

“I am also fighting to improve access to higher education throughout our state, while making sure our schools are funded based off of need in order to prevent school closures. We are losing hundreds of thousands of students in Illinois to pursue their education in different states. As a member of the House Higher Education Committee, I am committed to finding solutions to improve the current climate of higher education in Illinois. Additionally, it is a priority of mine to provide necessary resources such as counseling, tutoring and skill development to assist students who are underrepresented due to economic or cultural deprivation. Everyone deserves the opportunity to pursue a college education, regardless of their backgrounds and we must do everything possible to encourage our bright-minds to pursue degrees in Illinois.”

Smith represents the 34^th Illinois House District, which includes portions of the South Side of Chicago, Chicago’s south suburbs, and Will and Kankakee counties. For more information, please call (773) 783-8800.