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Illinois 31st State Senate District
STATEMENT FROM SENATOR MICHAEL BOND
Thursday February 18, 2010
SPRINGFIELD, IL— State Senator Michael Bond (D-Grayslake) today released the following statement regarding the state’s current budget deficit. Senator Bond’s statement is in response to a briefing that was held at the Capitol this week by representatives from the National Conference of State Legislatures. During this presentation, the Senate was briefed on the current budget situation of the 50 state governments (and Puerto Rico) and the federal government’s role in helping states weather the recession. Senator Bond had this to say about the presentation:
We are currently in the midst of a global economic crisis that has forced millions of people out of work and placed financial hardship upon working families, especially in Illinois. Due to the current recession, the State of Illinois is faced with having to close a deficit greater than $11 billion in the upcoming fiscal year.
It became very clear during this presentation that the State of Illinois is not alone in its budget woes. In fact, only two states (Montana and North Dakota) are not facing budget deficits in the coming fiscal year (both states are rich in mineral deposits and have tapped into their budget surpluses to weather the recession). While this is not a positive outlook for our nation, we take solace in the shared sacrifice that all states are experiencing during these tough economic times.
We cannot expect the federal government to bail us out of our current financial dilemma and I do not believe that placing additional tax burdens on the people of Illinois is a viable solution. The answer to our problem is closely examining the budget to eliminate wasteful spending, streamlining services, and making fiscally-responsible decisions that benefit our state now and in the future.
Everyday I spend down in Springfield I am communicating the needs and priorities of the people of the 31st District. The one issue that is resonating throughout the entire district is the need for the state to put its fiscal house in order. I remain committed to this endeavor and I encourage residents outside of my district to reach out to their elected officials and demand that they support a fiscally-responsible budget.
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