Governor’s State of the State Address

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Following Gov. Pritzker’s State of the State Address, state Rep. Marcus C. Evans Jr., D-Chicago, released the following statement:

“The State of the State address reflected on some of the hard work and bipartisan progress that has been made over the past year, but more importantly it gave us an opportunity to reflect on the issues families still face and how we can use the coming months to continue building a stronger Illinois.

“The Future is bright for Illinois. Our state is finally back on the right track. Last year, we passed a Fair Tax that will transform Illinois’ unfair tax system into one that works for families by making millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share while providing much-needed tax relief for 97% of taxpayers. We also passed a bipartisan, balanced budget that pays down old bills and provides $350 million in new funding for our public schools and finalized a major infrastructure plan that invests in rebuilding our roads and bridges while creating 500,000 new jobs.

“It’s encouraging that we have made some significant progress over the past year, but I understand there is more work that still needs to be done and I look forward to continuing my efforts to expand career and vocational education and reducing health care and prescription drugs costs.

“We also must once again continue to advocate for educational and employment opportunities for women and men of color in our communities throughout Illinois. This year, we need to make black and brown communities a priority when assembling a budget and spending plan that reaffirms our commitment to essential services, such as breast cancer screenings and domestic violence shelters. There will be difficult challenges and moments ahead, but I am optimistic that we can work together, both Republicans and Democrats, to tackle the real issues that impact families across Illinois.”