2007 Policy Recommendations

Illinois has taken important positive steps to address poverty: an increase in the state's minimum wage, a new Rental Housing Support program that makes housing more affordable across the Illinois, and an expansion of health insurance for all children in Illinois.

Illinois is poised to build upon this foundation and expand opportunities to ensure that more Illinoisans move out of poverty. The following policy recommendations present key opportunities in 2007 for state leaders to strengthen communities in Illinois by significantly reducing hardship and poverty.

Reduce extreme poverty to protect the most vulnerable Illinoisans from living in destitute conditions:

Hold statewid legislative hearings to inform a plan for reducing by half the number of Illinoisans living in extreme poverty by 2015.
Protect more families from living in poverty by increasing the level of the monthly cash assistance grant to equal 100% of the poverty line.
Invest in emergency food, shelter, and supportive housing programs to help people who are homeless or at severe risk of homelessness achieve stability.

Increase investment in health care, human services, and affordable housing to reach more people in need:

Develop a plan to ensure health care for all people in Illinois.
Reform Illinois' tax system so state revenues support both the current level of public services and address growing unmet need.
Strengthen communities' abilities to respond to rising costs of providing services through a cost of doing business adjustment for human services programs.
Generate new funding for affordable housing by reforming the real estate transfer tax.

Improve training opportunities and income supports for low-wage workers so that full-time workers do not live in poverty:

Expand transitional and vocational job programs to ensure that the lowest-skilled job seekers can obtain and retain employment.
Ensure low-wage workers eligible for government benefits can easily use these services through simplified application and enrollment procedures and increased points of access in the community.
Expand the state Earned Income Tax Credit program so low-income workers can keep more of their earnings.

Create asset building opportunities to ensure long-term financial security for families:

Increase family asset building by developing a state plan for universal children's savings accounts, ensuring every child born in Illinois can save for a more secure financial future.