Kifowit Reacts to Governor’s State of the State Address

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, issued the following statement Wednesday after Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s annual State of the State and Budget Address:

“When I started my tenure as a State Representative under Governor Quinn, I had faith that the day will come when Illinois is a leader and a state to be proud of, but that it would take a lot of work from me, my colleagues in the General Assembly with whom I serve, and the Executive branch.  Today is the day where all our hard work has made a significant difference in the direction of the state of Illinois.

“In recent years, we’ve taken decisive action to get our financial affairs in order. This has resulted in balanced budgets year after year, a multi-billion-dollar bill backlog being eliminated, less than 30 days accounts payables, multiple credit ratings upgrades and the reestablishment of a functional rainy-day fund.

“I look forward to reviewing the governor’s proposal in detail. As we continue to come out of the pandemic, this year’s budget process is an opportunity for us to address the challenges that families face and continue to improve the state of Illinois. The governor’s budget today reflects the values that we all strive for in the State of Illinois, but we also need to continue to be fiscally responsible for the future and not repeat the mistakes of the past. A balanced approach will further enable us to have greater flexibility to invest in issues that matter to families – especially education, public safety and essential services that our most vulnerable depend on.

“As the only female Veteran in the General Assembly, I continue to be committed to making sure our Servicemembers and Veterans are not left behind. Whether it’s aiding our elderly Veterans or helping returning Servicemembers with access to jobs and support, we must always honor and take care of our country’s heroes.

“Today’s address is the first step of the budget process, and I look forward to working with stakeholders and residents across Illinois to continue to move Illinois forward and make our residents proud of the state they live in.”