Buckner Delivers New Support for Small Businesses, Transportation Reform, Equitable Budget

CHICAGO – A fiscally and socially responsible budget that helps cut costs for families, create new pathways forward for small businesses in underserved communities and work to shape a cleaner, more equitable transportation system are essential parts of the state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, is highlighting from the spring legislative session.

“Rising costs have been hard on our community recently, but I’m glad to report that I helped advocate for a budget that prioritizes cutting costs so working people get the relief they need,” Buckner said. “We are putting millions into a tax credit for families with young children, property tax relief measures, cutting over $1 billion in medical debt and putting substantial funding behind our public school system. Year by year, we are building a stronger future for Illinois communities, and smart budgeting is going to get us there.”

The fiscally and socially responsible state budget Buckner helped craft creates a new $50 million child tax credit that will put more money in the pockets of modest-income families raising children under 12—helping working families who are struggling with rising costs at the grocery store. Buckner also worked to put $350 million in evidence-based funding into public school classrooms, on top of the over $1 billion in the past four years. 

“The surest way forward for our community is to create new pathways for small businesses to thrive,” Buckner said. “My measure to open business improvement districts will foster growth-as well as public safety-by putting tools for economic development in the hands of business owners. Members of the community can take direct control of progress with enhanced security, sanitation and other supplemental services.”

Buckner passed Senate Bill 3679 to enable the creation of business improvement districts that spur economic growth within underserved areas of Chicago.

“Building a better future depends on changing the way we think about transportation,” Buckner said. “I am working for a series of reforms to create a more equitable, more affordable, more environmentally-friendly and ultimately faster transportation system. It’s time to give mass transit the funding it needs, it’s time to ease restrictions on cyclists and it’s time to make electric vehicles more affordable.”

Buckner is working for measures to create rebates on purchases of electric bikes, ease restrictions on bicycles, lower the speed limit on cars in urban areas, reform mass transit in Chicago.