"Elected officials should do everything in their power to craft a budget that adequately funds services that add value to our communities immediately," says our Policy + Advocacy Manager, Alison Leipsiger.

Forefront was disheartened to hear Governor Rauner’s Feb. 17 state budget address. The governor stressed the damage forced on our state by irresponsible budgeting practices like borrowing to pay for services, disinvesting in the wellbeing of our communities and overall “kicking the can down the road,” while suggesting more of the same: that is, focusing on reforms important to the governor instead of focusing on crafting a budget that adequately funds the organizations who build the strength of our residents and communities.

Neither political party can claim to support the citizens of this state while carrying on without a budget. The short-term pain is devastating to our communities and the long-term pain will be felt by all taxpayers for years to come. The longer we wait for a budget that adequately funds services that are necessary to support individuals at all stages of life, the longer it will take to rebuild the infrastructure we are destroying by starving it of resources.

Everyone in Illinois is affected by this budget stalemate, whether or not they feel the effects. We were glad to hear the governor call our state’s situation an emergency and we agree. This stalemate should be treated as such, and elected officials should do everything in their power to craft a budget that adequately funds services that add value to our communities immediately.

— Alison Leipsiger, Manager, Policy & Advocacy