In This Issue:
FY24 Budget Highlights
Welcome Summer Interns!
Coffee & Conversation
Town Hall
Citizen Advisory Panels
Heroes & Helicopters
Dear Friends, I hope your summers have been off to a strong start! The Illinois General Assembly wrapped up its Spring session at the end of May, capping off months of work and negotiations with the passage of the fiscal year 2024 budget. In addition to more general legislation, the budget is one of the main tools we have to enact policy and make sure we continue moving forward on the goals and aspirations that we have for our state and our community. Given its importance, this month’s newsletter is a bit longer than usual as I highlight some of the main programs and initiatives coming through in this year’s budget. While activity in Springfield may have wound down for now, they’re going full force in our district. Over the next few months, the 41st district office, summer intern team, and I will be connecting with you through coffees, a town hall, and other events and activities. You can read more about them in this newsletter, and I hope to see you and your family at an upcoming event soon! Sincerely, Janet
Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Highlights
At the end of May, my colleagues and I in the General Assembly passed the new fiscal year 2024 budget, which runs from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. This is a fiscally and socially responsible budget that shows we can be both responsible and compassionate for Illinois families, individuals, and businesses.
This $50.6 billion budget plans for $50.4 billion in spending and a $183 million surplus after accounting for additional deposits into the Rainy Day Fund and early repayment of various pension and debt obligations. More details on those deposits and prepayments are below, plus highlights of other funded initiatives and programs.
Fiscal Responsibility: Following eight credit ratings upgrades in the last two years, we continue to rebuild Illinois’ fiscal health and save for the future with the following actions:
Additional $138M deposit to Budget Stabilization Fund (aka Rainy Day Fund). This is in addition to the $1B deposited in last year’s budget (the first deposits in 18 years), as well as the $850M transfer from the January 2023 supplemental budget.
Extra $200M pension payment, bringing total FY24 deposit to $700M. This is on top of last year’s $500M extra payment. These payments that are above our required pension payments save taxpayers over $2B in long-term pension liabilities.
Paid off $450M in Railsplitter Authority debt, saving $60M in interest. These were bonds issued in 2010 and backed by a 1998 tobacco company settlement with states. That settlement revenue is ongoing and will now go to support Illinois’ Medicaid program.
Quality Education: We’re investing in our most valuable and precious resources by funding early childhood programs, K-12 schools, colleges & universities, and career and technical educational opportunities:
$250M funding for Smart Start Illinois, a comprehensive program to build one of the best early childhood education systems in the nation.
$350M in new funding for K-12 public schools, bringing total increase in funding over the last four years to more than $1.3B. These new monies have brought millions more dollars to school districts in our 41st District.
Additional $100M funds for Monetary Assistance Program (MAP) grants, effectively making community colleges free for students at or below median income.
$25M for Pipeline for the Advancement of the Healthcare (PATH) Workforce Program, to train for high demand, high pay positions in healthcare, such as nurses, medical assistants, medical laboratory technicians, and emergency medical technicians.
$2M to establish new Illinois Graduate and Retain our Workforce (iGROW) program, which I sponsored and passed via HB1378 to create incentives for students to attend Illinois colleges and universities and then establish careers in Illinois in computer science, information technology and other related areas.
Economic Development: This year’s budget invests in economic growth by focusing on start-ups, emerging technologies, and other job creators growing into new markets.
$400M to close major economic development deals and attract businesses and jobs to Illinois. Specifically excludes expenditure on any relocation efforts by the Chicago Bears.
Expansion of Angel Investment credit to 35% from 25% for investments made with business ventures owned by women, people of color, a person with a disability, or in a county with a population of fewer than 250,000.
$20M funding for Fast-Track Workforce Program for employee recruiting and job training to support major relocation or workforce expansion efforts.
$49M for tourism grants and advertising/promotions, to support tourism industry throughout the state, both with domestic and international visitors.
$145M in new funds for Enterprise Fund Grant Program and Prime Sites Program, which provide capital to attract and retain businesses in Illinois that make substantial capital investments and job creation commitments.
Public Safety: This year’s budget continues our work of keeping Illinois safe and thriving by creating new opportunities for youth and other community members, as well as giving police the resources they need.
$250M for Reimagine Public Safety Act, created to prevent gun violence and expand youth employment programs.
$200M for Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) grant program, which funds programs in five areas: civil legal aid, economic development, reentry, violence prevention, and youth development.
$16M to hire and train additional 200 Illinois State Police troopers, representing two new cadet classes and bringing the total number of officers to 1,800.
$30M for Law Enforcement Camera Grant Program, which funds in-car cameras, body cameras, and data storage for local law enforcement agencies.
$10M for Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention Fund, used for local law enforcement to fund new officer recruitment, retention programs, and mental healthcare for officers.
Healthcare Accessibility: We’re funding programs and services to improve access to quality, affordable healthcare, particularly in underserved communities in cities, suburbs, and small towns alike.
$250M increase to serve those with developmental disabilities, including raising reimbursement rates for caregivers to address workforce shortages.
New funding of $22.8M for Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative, to address behavioral health services for children and adolescents.
$18M for reproductive health initiatives, including physician training and consultations for high-risk patients.
$24M to increase rates for home workers assisting the elderly, as well as increased outreach to elderly and expanded adult day service programs.
$10M for Illinois health insurance marketplace, to expand access to health care.
Sustainable Environment: Initiatives in the FY24 budget fund the most promising and needed areas of the green economy, driving new job growth as well as a sustainable future:
Creation of new Hydrogen Fuel Replacement Tax Credit, which provides incentives for zero-carbon hydrogen fuel.
New $10M investment for a Clean Energy Career and Technical Education pilot program for high school students.
Reappropriation of $70M from Rebuild Illinois for transportation electrification and charging infrastructure.
In the picture, below, Governor JB Pritzker signs the FY2024 budget into law.
Welcome Summer Interns!
This summer we welcomed eleven interns to our 41st district team. The mix of new and returning interns include current students or alumni from Naperville Central, Naperville North, Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley and Metea Valley high schools. Their interests vary across many different areas, and all are excited to serve their community and research policy to address legislative concerns.
Over the next few months, we’ll all be attending events in the community and meeting you at your door to share how our office can serve you. Please help us to welcome our team, from left to right: Reyah, Milin, Vinny (3rd year), Amy (3rd year), Shandana (3rd year), Jocey, Emmery (2nd year), Mihir, Sofia, Darby, and Sindhu.
June Coffee & Conversation
For a broader overview of Springfield and 41st District activities, please join us at one of our monthly coffee and conversations. These generally occur on the last Saturday of the month, and in June, we’ll meet this Saturday at our district office. Come and join other constituents from across Naperville, Warrenville and Bolingbrook for informal catching-up and conversation.
What: Coffee & Conversation with me and your neighbors
When: Saturday, June 24, 2023 from 10:00 to 11:00 am
Where: District 41 Office, 475 River Bend Rd., Suite 500, Naperville
Town Hall
Join me for our upcoming 41st District Town Hall, where we’ll cover the major legislation from 103rd General Assembly’s spring session and the notable activities coming from our district office.
What: 41st District Town Hall
Where: Facebook Live (no need for a Facebook account to participate)
When: Tuesday, June 27 at 7:00 pm
Register below to receive event reminders, and we’ll also make sure to send a link to the recording if you’re not able to participate live.
You can submit questions ahead of time via the link below, and we’ll make sure to cover the topic in the town hall or get back to you individually.
Citizen Advisory Panels
For those who want to go deep into specific areas of legislation and district activities, we hold Citizens Advisory Panels twice a year. This is an opportunity for you to get updates and share your thoughts on what our community needs in a particular area of interest. Each of the panels will take place in our district office and are listed on the Events Page of our website. Please join us and share your voice.
Education – July 18, 6:00-7:00 PM
Business & Economy – July 20, 6:00-7:00 PM
Environment – July 20, 7:00-8:00 PM
Healthcare – July 24, 6:00-7:00 PM
Women's Issues – July 24, 7:00-8:00 PM
Senior Issues – July 31, 6:00-7:00 PM
Diversity & Inclusion – July 31, 7:00-8:00 PM
Heroes and Helicopters - Mark Your Calendar!
The heroes in our community of course begin with our first responders, and there are so many other organizations that serve our community and are heroes as well. Join Senator Laura Ellman and me for a day of community fun and exploration, beginning with a medical helicopter scheduled to land at 10 am. You’ll also be able to enjoy a close-up view of trucks and equipment used by our first responders, plus engage with the many participating organizations that serve our community.
What: Heroes and Helicopters
When: August 19 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Where: Frontier Park, 3380 Cedar Glade Dr., Naperville
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