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Springfield Update
During last week’s three day session, I was in
more meetings with Governor Quinn than I attended in any two years during the
Blagojevich administration.
Whether it was a Holocaust Memorial event, a meeting on intercity
passenger rail or a dinner with the Respiratory Health Association of
Illinois, it is clear that an engaged and hard working Governor makes a big
difference!
That being said, we still having a looming budget
mess. And I do not see that there
is a straight path out of the fiscal difficulties in which we find
ourselves. If the General
Assembly tries to cut programs, some constituency and influential legislators
will come to their defense. If we
try to find new revenues, such as the income tax proposal proposed by
Governor Quinn, it is difficult to find the votes in support. If we seek to change the pensions (and
I recognize that it was decades of chronic underfunding by the State that got
us to this point), that raises more objections. So putting together the package that
constitutes a balanced budget is not easy.
With five weeks to go in the legislative session, I
cannot predict how it will work out.
I do know, however, that I am committed to doing whatever it takes to
reach a reasonable, rational balanced budget. And I welcome your input on what that
should look like. Feel free to
let me know where you think we should be making cuts and what revenues, if
any, could be helpful.
Northfield & Wheeling Township Appeals Are Now
Open
Those who reside in Northfield and/or Wheeling Township
can now appeal their property taxes with the Cook County Board of
Review. The Cook County Board of
Review is the second level of appeals in appealing your property taxes. It is a complimentary service for
those who reside in Cook County.
If you believe you have an unfair tax assessment, the Board of review
is here to help.
The Board of Review’s website, www.cookcountyboardofreview.com,
provides you with tools to begin your search on evaluating whether or not
your property has been over assessed.
You can contact The Cook County Board of Review’s office with
any further questions at 312-603-3644.
Budget Hearing Wrap-Up
As some of you may already know, the House Democrats
have been holding budget hearings throughout the Chicagoland
area over the past few weeks to address the need for a statewide
infrastructure bill. On April
6th, people representing various organizations came to Northbrook Village
Hall to testify in hopes of providing legislators information so we can
construct a well-balanced and fair capital plan. Rep. Julie Hamos,
Karen May, Eddie Washington, Kathy Ryg and I
received much fruitful and sometimes shocking information from different
constituents. It was crucial to
hear from constituents and various organizations regarding our crumbling
infrastructure and what their top priorities are. I plan to bring these ideas to
Springfield and include as many of them as I can in our capital bill.
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