Ford Looks to Work Ahead Following Gov. Pritzker’s Budget Address, Urges Support from the Federal Government

SPRINGFIELD – State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, D-Chicago, outlined his vision for our state’s budget after Wednesday’s State of the State address in the following statement:

“While the chaotic agenda coming out of Washington is focused on tearing down communities by going after their access to health care, ripping away their constitutional rights and weakening decades-old protections for minorities, I am focused on building a better, more inclusive state for all people.

“That work starts with building a better budget that addresses the needs of all people — not just millionaires, billionaires and the most influential multinational corporations. I’m talking about a budget that expands access to health care, invests in disinvested communities and serves the interests of the people instead of special interests.

“Nonetheless, Illinois is one state in a system of 50, and we are limited by that — no amount of budgetary discipline or foresight can make up for the reduction in federal funds the state receives. To achieve our vision for a truly socially and fiscally responsible budget, we need more financial support from the federal government to protect the most vulnerable residents in our state instead of weakening social safety net programs, more resources for safety-net hospitals, community health centers and other organizations that provide health care instead of raising costs for working families, stronger support for our schools and colleges instead of silencing free speech on campus, and action to address the lack of affordable housing and the feeling that homeownership is out of reach for many Americans. We need the federal government to help us address these issues.

“I call on President Donald Trump to recommit to his oath to protect our Constitution and our communities by utilizing our federal resources to make sure that no one in Illinois is left behind, because no community or level of government is unaffected by the affordability crisis and Washington’s decisions to delay the release of federal funds. When they target Democratic-majority states for cuts, they indiscriminately harm our cities, counties, towns and villages throughout the state. These smaller entities have less flexibility to respond to the effects of Washington’s policies, and we must make sure that the federal government works not only with the state but with them as well to make sure that all Illinoisans get what they deserve.”