E-newsletters

Dear Friends,

This Wednesday I was in Springfield to hear Governor Quinn’s State of the State Address.  If you did not hear his speech, you can download a written copy of the remarks here .  The Governor’s 40 minute address focused on what we accomplished in the past year and his plans for 2012 including 3 tax breaks, a new Illinois Jobs Agenda and launch of the Illinois Foreclosure Prevention Network.  For me, there was a bit too much time spent on what we have accomplished and not enough time spent on what we need to get done in the coming year or specifics on how he plans to lead us there.  Recent budget projections should have been a wakeup call that dramatic changes are needed to pull the state out of this mess, but the Governor does not seem to have gotten that message. Instead, the ideas that were presented lacked detail and focus. As I told the Daily Herald, I was disappointed by the lack of depth in the Governor’s speech and wish he would have explained how he is going to execute the plans he introduced.

Dear Friends,

When I became your state representative just over two years ago, I made it one of my top priorities to address Illinois’ many budget problems. Important progress has been made, and my Budgeting for Results legislation has laid the groundwork to fundamentally overhaul the way our state government spends its money. 

Dear Friends,

I hope this newsletter finds you happy and healthy as we head into the New Year.  However you choose to celebrate this weekend, may it be filled with joy and the promise of a fulfilling year ahead.  Please be aware that while recent national news stories have drawn attention to a AAA program providing free rides home to inebriated drivers on New Year’s Eve, this program is not available in Illinois. I strongly encourage anyone who plans to consume alcohol this weekend to plan ahead with a designated driver.  If you will be celebrating elsewhere in the US, please click here to visit the AAA website and see list of locations where free rides will be available on New Year’s Eve.

Dear Friends,

I am pleased that a compromise was able to be reached this week and the legislature was able to pass Senate Bill 397, the corporate tax incentive bill.  I supported SB397 because it is consistent with my vote last spring against the personal and corporate income tax increase.  In fact, I would have preferred we rolled back the tax increase entirely, and I am sponsoring House Bill 3917 which would do just that.

Dear Friends,

While our community is blessed with excellent schools, we must continue to improve the educational process. To keep you informed about recent and upcoming education reforms, and to gather additional input from you, I will be hosting an Education Forum with Stand for Children, an advocacy group which seeks to channel the efforts of parents, educators, and other community members on behalf of students. This education forum will be held on Tuesday, December 6, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Wheeling High School, located at 900 S. Elmhurst Rd. in Wheeling.