A message from State Senator Karen McConnaughay:
Courts driving state funding, budget uncertainty looming, and more
Karen McConnaughaty
Wednesday marked the first day of fall—and the longest Illinois has ever gone without a budget in place. While the state continues to function during this budget stalemate, action needs to be taken soon to avoid long-term consequences.
Failed efforts to compromise on reforms and balanced spending, has forced the courts intervene to ensure critical state programs receive funding. Court-ordered state spending totals $14 billion to various state programs. Added to the $18.4 billion being paid out for continuing, statutory, or enacted appropriations, Illinois has been placed on a spending path that will exceed revenues by more than $5 billion when considering the services that are not receiving state funds.
Years of overspending and refusing to enact commonsense reforms have come at a hefty cost for Illinois, with both taxpayers and the state’s business climate feeling the strain. Recent figures from the Illinois Department of Employment Security and the federal government show Illinois’ economy continuing to struggle.
The Senate is back in session on October 6 and I plan to do whatever I can to encourage compromise and restore fiscal stability in our great state.
As always, I hope you will contact me or my office with questions or concerns you may have. You can also visit my legislative website at www.senatormcconnaughay.com.
Sincerely,
Karen McConnaughay
State Senator for the 33rd District
Courts driving state funding
As the state continues to operate despite the ongoing budget stalemate, a number of services and programs have turned to the court system to enforce state payment. As a result, the courts have become increasingly involved in dictating state expenditures, with many programs and services being funded through court orders and consent decrees.
Uncertainty continues for Illinois economy
While Speaker Madigan and President Cullerton resist pro-jobs reforms in Springfield, Illinois’ economy continues to struggle statewide.
The latest figures from the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) gives the economy a mixed review at best. Illinois’ jobless rate dropped for the third straight month, to 5.6 percent, but the state lost a net of 900 jobs compared to the previous month. Employment in Illinois has grown slightly so far this year, but at a rate of only 0.3 percent — half the average growth rate of the rest of the Midwest and worse than each of our neighboring states. If Illinois had simply kept pace, according to IDES, employers would have added an additional 34,000 jobs since the start of this year. The overall number of jobs in Illinois is still about 75,000 below our pre-recession peak.
Blue-collar jobs struggling in Illinois
A deeper dive into the latest jobs figures reveals a troubling picture for a backbone of Illinois’ economy: blue-collar jobs. Illinois lost 2,200 manufacturing jobs in August alone; 10,000 since the start of the year; and more than 300,000 since the turn of the century.
Flu season is coming
As flu season approaches, the Illinois Department of Public Health is urging everyone six months and older to get vaccinated against the influenza virus. Highlighting the dangers that the flu poses to the public—especially to those 65 years and older—the IDPH is encouraging everyone to take the dangers of the illness seriously in the months ahead.
Get to work and pass a budget then the courts won’t have to intervene.