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Fighting for a Responsible State Budget

October 9, 2009

Illinois faces a budget crisis along the lines of which most of us have not seen during our lifetimes, and it is growing every day. The General Assembly reconvenes for veto session in Springfield next week and the fight for a fair state budget continues.

While the economic downturn is exacerbating the state's fiscal challenges, a long-standing structural budget deficit is at the root of this crisis and fixing it is an essential part of the solution. Heartland Alliance and our partners are joining together to lead the effort toward a responsible budget that meets both the state's legal and moral obligations to all residents of Illinois.

As a result of the structural deficit, year-in and year-out, Illinois does not bring in enough revenue to maintain existing spending on things we all care about, like education, health care, and human services, not to mention the unmet needs vulnerable people experience every day. We can and must do better to advance human rights, and to protect and enhance both the social and economic fabric of our state.

Heartland Alliance is a member of The Responsible Budget Coalition, a group of diverse stakeholders, committed to building the support needed to solve Illinois' budget crisis, preventing harmful cuts to essential public services, saving jobs, eliminating the state's long-term structural deficit, and providing Illinoisans with relief from regressive taxation.

The Responsible Budget Coalition will be organizing a rally and lobby day on Thursday, October 15th to urge legislators to raise revenue and fund vital services by passing a comprehensive tax-reform bill.  The rally will be held in the State Capitol at 12:00PM.  We hope to have thousands of people join us in Springfield to show our collective strength as we continue to push for revenue reform and a responsible budget.  Please join Heartland Alliance and the Responsible Budget Coalition in Springfield on October 15th.  For more information please contact Gina Guillemette at gguillemette@heartlandalliance.org or Doug Schenkelberg at dschenkelberg@heartlandalliance.org.    

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