Benton Spotlights Budget Focused on Communities, Working Families

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Communities and working families will be the main beneficiaries of the recently passed state budget, says state Rep. Harry Benton, D-Plainfield, following a robust and comprehensive process aimed at promoting growth and fiscal responsibility.

“I came to Springfield to speak up for working families and the communities and local economies where they live,” Benton said. “The budget I passed is about getting Illinois back on track, so we can get the state back in the business of helping working families.”

The state budget Benton helped pass rebuilds the state’s rainy day fund to save for the future, makes ahead-of-schedule pension liability payments that will save taxpayers millions of dollars in interest payments, significantly boosts both early childhood and vocational education throughout the state, makes transformative investments in infrastructure and economic development and prioritizes investments that strengthen the economy as well as communities across Illinois.

Benton also worked to include a significant increase in funding for cities and villages, giving local leaders the tools to get serious about property tax relief.

“This is a strong state budget that is balanced in every sense. We shouldn’t have to choose between being responsible and being compassionate—we can and should choose to be both,” Benton said. “Working families need smart, disciplined investments in the things that enable them to thrive and they expect their elected representatives to go out and deliver. I’m proud to say that I think that’s just what we’ve done here. We’ve built a budget, line-by-line, that prioritizes spending and commits resources to services that expand opportunity and create a brighter future.”

Benton’s constituent service office can be reached at 815-254-0000 or info@repharrybenton.com.