Stava-Murray Celebrates State Budget That is Bold, Compassionate, Responsible

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois has achieved success in crafting a state budget that makes strides in addressing a host of issues affecting families and communities across Illinois while simultaneously emphasizing good stewardship and fiscal responsibility, with a budget supported by state Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, D-Downers Grove.

“From the beginning, I’ve stood by the philosophy that we shouldn’t have to choose between being a responsible state and a compassionate one—that we can and should choose to be both,” Stava-Murray said. “That’s why we’ve prioritized both smart investments in rebuilding Illinois’ fiscal house as well as bold initiatives aimed at promoting justice and opportunity for every Illinois family and community by committing resources to service that expand opportunity and create a brighter future.”

Stava-Murray highlighted budget measures which greatly increased funding for classroom education, invested in vocational and technical education, boosted economic growth by providing grants for startups and emerging tech companies, laid the groundwork for a world-class early childhood education system, improved healthcare access with particular emphasis on mental and behavioral health and on remote or underserved communities, funded community-based violence prevention and gun safety programs, boosted the state’s rainy day fund and made ahead-of-schedule pension liability payments which are projected to save taxpayers tens of millions in interest payments.

“While there remains a lot of work we need to do, it wasn’t that long ago that the Rauner administration left this state teetering on the edge of insolvency. Today, we can proudly say that we are in a much better position than anyone back in 2018 would have predicted we’d be by now,” Stava-Murray said. “I’m proud of this budget because it continues the upward trend of paying down debt without shortsighted austerity or ham-fisted cuts. We can now look forward to, potentially, our ninth credit rating increase in just the last few years, and from there we can continue getting the state back to work for working families.”

Stava-Murray’s office is reachable at 630-605-0595 or office@repstavamurray.com.