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Advantage Illinois
I wanted to let
you know about a new program here in Illinois to assist small
businesses. Advantage Illinois is
intended to increase small business lending here in Illinois. The funds can
be used for (but are not limited to) start-up costs, working capital,
business procurement, franchise fees, equipment, or inventory. Even the
purchase, construction, or renovation of a place of business could qualify
for one of these programs.
Participating lenders can access Advantage Illinois funds to:
•Lend to small and start-up businesses that don't qualify under conventional
lending policies
•Provide term loans for small businesses seeking medium to long-term
financing, including revolving lines
•Supplement loan collateral for small businesses while providing a
source of deposits for lenders
• Finally, there is a venture fund, Invest Illinois, that is designed
to augment private sector venture capital investments
Ask your lender if Advantage
Illinois can benefit your business financing.
The program's page, http://illinoisbiz.biz/dceo/Bureaus/Advantage+Illinois/ ,
includes links to an overall fact sheet and to each different program
(Capital Access, Participation Loan, Collateral Support and Venture). Under
the Lender's link you can print out one-page "Banker's Guides" that
include some additional details on each program.
A Promotion….I Think
I recently
accepted a volunteer appointment to Governor Quinn’s newly formed
bipartisan pension panel tasked with reviewing and making recommendations on
the state’s pension system.
This new panel will be made up of lawmakers, union groups and other
stakeholders to look at how state pensions are awarded. Recent news reports
have uncovered cases of private employees receiving public pensions through
Illinois’ public universities, despite not working on campus, and
lobbyists receiving state teacher pensions after substitute teaching for only
one day.
I have always been
an outspoken advocate of fiscal responsibility and transparency, especially
when it comes to our pension system.
I look forward to this opportunity to save the state money by
closing abusive loopholes in the existing system, and to make sure that the public interest is being
served.
Along with this volunteer assignment, I have also been promoted to the
Chair of the Personnel and Pensions Committee in the Illinois House of
Representatives where I will continue to work on legislation related to
reforming pension policies. I was previously the Vice-Chair of the committee.
House Bill
3944 – Eavesdropping Bill
As I am forming my
legislative agenda for 2012, I wanted to let you know about a bill I very
excited to sponsor. The
eavesdropping bill I am introducing would decriminalize the recording of a
police officer in Illinois.
Several Illinoisan’s have recently been charged with a felony
because they recorded –either audio or video – an exchange they
had with a police officer. A
recent new story about one of those cases is at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-eavesdropping-law-20120102,0,436968.story.
The legislation I
am promoting, along with the Illinois State Bar Association, the Illinois
Press Association, and the ACLU, would make it legal to record an officer on
duty and on public property.
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