Davis Begins New Term, Prioritizes State Procurement Diversity, Education and Economic Development

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Beginning his 11th term in the state legislature with a sharp focus on increasing support for education, economic development and diversity in the state procurement process, State Rep. Will Davis, D-Homewood, issued the following statement Wednesday:

“All too often the majority of dollars for high-value state contracts do not reach businesses in a manner that is representative of our state. This keeps critical resources and opportunities away from minority, women and veteran owned businesses, which only reinforces longstanding disparities facing our communities. While we celebrate and welcome the start of a new year in the General Assembly, we must also commit to ensuring our state’s dollars and resources reach communities that look like ours.

“By continuing my work with the State Procurement Task Force, and working together with state agencies, their directors and stakeholders across the state, we can examine and revise the process so that our firms and businesses can benefit more than they currently do from state projects and initiatives. However, this examination must also be paired with a budgetary commitment to provide preparation and support for these diverse businesses as they prepare to take on complex, large projects from the state.

“Access to a quality education is one of the biggest predictors of success in life, and all students across our state should have a fair shot regardless of where they were born or where they live. We must continue to innovate and find ways to ensure equitable funding of our schools in a way that addresses the inherent disparity that comes with using property taxes as the main source of school funding.

“Many of our communities’ small businesses were already struggling before the COVID-19 pandemic and later runaway inflation, which have only exacerbated preexisting challenges such as accessing both private and public capital. We must confront this situation boldly by utilizing state resources to revitalize the communities and businesses that need them the most in the 30^th District. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the General Assembly and Gov. Pritzker to bring these much-needed resources back home to our south suburban neighborhoods.”

Davis represents the 30^th House District, which consists of suburban communities such as Chicago Heights, Dixmoor, Dolton, East Hazel Crest, Flossmoor, Harvey, Homewood, Markham, Midlothian, Olympia Fields, Phoenix and South Holland.