Tryon Sends Legislative Message

An email from Mike Tryon:

Mike Tryon

This update begins with good news!

It appears that conservative budgeting for this current fiscal year will allow the State to pay down $300 million in old bills.

The General Assembly set a conservative revenue estimate for fiscal year 2012 and pledged that any revenues coming in excess of the $33.2 billion estimate would be used to pay down old bills.

In fulfillment of this pledge, the House and Senate last week appropriated $150 million to serve as “matching funds” for Medicaid. With the help of a federal match, this action will generate $300 million to be used exclusively for unpaid Medicaid bills from medical care providers.

Checks will go out to Child Care Providers
Last week the General Assembly also took action to ensure that more than 40,000 child care service providers would be paid money they are owed by the State through the end of this fiscal year. These are child caregivers who have billed, or will bill, the State for $73.6 million in child care services to be provided through June 30. The people who utilize this child care subsidy are typically those who earn minimum wage or close to it. By fully funding the program, these individuals are able to continue working, rather than possibly seeking unemployment due to an inability to pay for their child care. The money to fund the remaining months of payment was found within the existing budget, and it did not include any overage spending.

Lawmakers Will Take Pay Cut in for FY2013
Last week I also signed on as a co-sponsor for House Bill 3188, a bill that would require all State legislators, constitutional officers, and the Governor to go without a pay increase or cost of living adjustment for fiscal year 2013.

The bill will also require us to take 12 furlough days and a decrease in pay for next year equal to $3,120 for each State Representative.

As lawmakers, I believe we must first lead by example and make our own financial sacrifices before we ask others to do the same.

This is the fourth year in a row that lawmakers have rejected COLAs and the fourth year in a row that we have absorbed furlough days. Overall, the pay cuts associated with the furlough days in the House and Senate will save the State $642,000 in salary costs for fiscal year 2013. This bill should be coming up for a vote this week.

Pension and Medicaid Reform

Working groups on pension and Medicaid reform continue to meet almost daily for hours at a time.

Many ideas are being shared and considered, but at this time there is no agreement on either Medicaid or pension reform, and no bills have been filed. I am hearing, however, that a Medicaid bill is coming this week.

Pension discussions are continuing, and if a bill is presented it needs to protect the constitutional requirements promised to pension recipients. The ultimate bill must be able to stand up to any future court challenge.

Last week I joined all of my House Republican colleagues in signing a letter that will be sent to U.S. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitchell McConnel. The letter demands that the U.S. Senate follow the actions taken in the House in repealing the Medicaid Maintenance of Effort (MOE) mandate in the Affordable Care Act.

The letter further urges immediate consideration of a resolution which, if adopted, would give Illinois the flexibility it needs to move forward with full implementation of Medicaid income verification requirements that are allowed under Illinois law, but currently prohibited under federal law. As many of you know, last year the General Assembly approved sweeping Medicaid reform. Significant savings would be realized if Medicaid recipients had to prove income eligibility and Illinois residency each year. However, these eligibility requirements are not allowed under the Federal Affordable Care Act.

Progress Being Made on 2013 Budget
The appropriations committees are also working diligently on agency budgets, and individual committee members continue to go line-by-line, looking for places to reduce spending or offer efficiencies. Legislators are eager to see the final appropriations that will come forward from the Human Services, Elementary/Secondary Education, General Service, Higher Education, and Public Safety Committees.

I will continue to update you on these and other important issues as they make their way through our legislative process, and as always, if my staff or I can assist you in any way, please do not hesitate to call my Crystal Lake office at 815-459-6453.

Sincerely,

Michael W. Tryon
State Representative, District 64


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