Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Gov. Pritzker signs FY22 state budget into law
--From a press release
2021-06-18

This article shared 1348 times since Fri Jun 18, 2021
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email


SPRINGFIELD — After speaking to the investments made possible by the FY22 state budget this morning, Governor JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 2017, the FY22 Budget Implementation Act, as well as the certification of the General Assembly's concurrence on Senate Bill 2800, the state's spending plan.

"By signing the state budget today, Illinois is taking a giant step forward, toward true fiscal stability," said Governor JB Pritzker. "We balanced the 2022 fiscal year budget independent of the American Rescue Plan, by working together with tireless lawmakers who went up against the challenges of a global pandemic and passed a budget that meets the moment. Together, we are putting Illinois on the right track."

"As we come out from the pandemic, this budget is a reflection of our commitment to working-class families, small businesses and underserved communities," said House Majority Leader Greg Harris (D-Chicago). "With this budget, we've dispelled the myth that fiscal responsibility needs to come at the expense of support services. We're doing both and our economy will rebuild quickly and more equitably because of it."

"Not only is this budget balanced, it provides stability by making our full required pension payment, paying down the borrowing we needed last year and funding many of our priorities to put our state on the right path," said State Senator Elgie Sims (D-Chicago), the Senate's chief budget expert. "As a member of the Illinois legislative Black Caucus and sponsor of its criminal justice pillar, I am also proud that this budget funds the enhanced training and other associated improvements passed earlier this year to enact the SAFE-T Act."

FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS

OVERVIEW

The State of Illinois' Fiscal Year 2022 budget plan for both operations and capital is contained in SB2800, along with SB2017, the budget implementation bill. The Fiscal Year 2022 General Funds budget plan reflects $42.3 billion in base spending. The budget funds additional investments in the areas of education and human services while fully funding the Fiscal Year 2022 certified pension contributions and continuing progress on debt repayments. The Fiscal Year 2022 budget also directs federal dollars received from the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) to aid businesses, families, and invest in Illinois' communities. The estimated Fiscal Year 2022 General Funds base revenues for the enacted Fiscal Year 2022 General Funds budget total $42.367 billion, reflecting changes to corporate tax loopholes included in SB2017.

During calendar year 2020, the State borrowed $3.2 billion from the federal Municipal Liquidity Facility for cash management and to pay for essential state operations at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The $1.2 billion borrowed in June 2020 was fully retired in fiscal year 2021; however, the $2 billion December 2020 loan originally was scheduled to be repaid in three installments by December 2023. With improved economic performance, the Comptroller is expected to be able to set aside $1 billion by the end of fiscal year 2021 for early repayment of the December 2020 borrowing and the remainder during fiscal year 2022. The early repayment will save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in interest costs.

Budget Honors Commitments to Paying Down Illinois' Debts

Fully funds the $9.8 billion General Funds pension contribution

Repays $2 billion emergency Federal Reserve loan early saving taxpayers tens of millions of dollars

Repays funds Illinois borrowed from itself to ease cash flow

Keeps pace with payment of the state's bills, with bill payment delays at the lowest levels in years

Provides $50 million to College Illinois! prepaid tuition trust fund to begin to shore up its assets

Corporate Loophole Closures

The FY22 budget closes four tax loopholes worth $655 million to the state and $42 million to local governments including:

$314 million: Cap Corporate Net Operating Loss Deductions at $100,000 per year for the next 3 years

$214 million: Roll Back Federal Tax Cut and Jobs Act 100% Accelerated Depreciation Deduction

$107 million: Align Domestic & Foreign-Source Dividend Deduction

$20 million: Freeze Phase Out of Corporate Franchise Tax

Federal American Rescue Plan Act Funding

Focusing crucial investments in Illinois Businesses, Families and Communities

ARPA allocated $8.1 billion in federal dollars to Illinois from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund and $254 million from Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund to help Illinois over the next three years address the impact of the pandemic on Illinois families, businesses, and communities, and to replace revenues lost to the state during the pandemic. As a down payment on economic recovery and for continued response to the impact of COVID-19, the budget allocates $2.8 billion in ARPA dollars for crucial investments for multi-year commitments to key areas, including:

$380 million for the ongoing costs of the state's response to COVID-19 at IEMA and other state agencies;

$307 million for health care providers, long-term care facilities, and mental and behavioral health programs to support the public health response and improving public health outcomes;

Over $100 million in assistance to impacted industries such as tourism;

$128 million for violence prevention and youth employment programs;

$163 million in grants to community support organizations, including $87 million to welcoming centers;

$114 million for affordable and supportive housing programs;

$56 million for investments in education; and

$450 million for the Governor's Economic Recovery Plan:

$300 million for Back to Business Grants, with 40 percent of the funds going to communities that were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic

$10 million for Tourism promotion and Main Street festival grants

$50 million for Workforce Recovery efforts

$20 million for Community Navigators and targeted business support services

$25 million for the DCEO RISE program for local economic recovery planning and partnerships

$45 million in capital for commercial corridors and downtowns that have experienced disinvestment

In addition to the investments outlined above, the ARPA allocations in the budget includes a $1 billion investment to accelerate critical infrastructure needs, including statewide broadband, to spur the economic recovery and create jobs and reserves $2-$3 billion to replace lost revenues to the State to fund essential government services.

EDUCATION - PREK-12 AND HIGHER EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS

PreK-12:

Includes an increase of $362.1 million General Funds for Evidence Based Funding - $7.6 billion in total EBF appropriations

Continues to support Early Childhood Education at $543.7 million

Funds a new principal mentoring and recruitment program - $1.8 million General Funds

Appropriates over $8 billion in federal funds to K-12 schools from federal COVID-19 relief packages for costs to respond to the impact of COVID-19 on education, including funds for summer school, tutoring, technology needs, closing the digital divide, remote learning, mentoring, bridge programs and mental health professional development. $582.9million (CARES Act), $2.3 billion (CRRSA) and $5.4 billion (ARPA)

Higher Education:

Preserves university operations funding at $1.2 billion

Increases funding to the Monetary Award Program (MAP) by $28.2 million to $479.6 million General Funds

Includes $35 million for the fourth year of AIM HIGH, a merit-based scholarship program that is intended to help stem the outmigration of Illinois' high achieving students

Includes federal pandemic aid for higher education agencies, including $44 million at IBHE, $37 million at the ICCB and $7 million at ISAC to enhance programs for higher education students

In addition, universities and community colleges received approximately $2.5 billion in direct aid from the COVID-19 relief packages through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) that flow directly to the institution

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY HIGHLIGHTS

Increases Restore, Reinvest, and Renew Program (R3) appropriation by $30 million to $75 million at the Criminal Justice Information Authority. This additional funding will support new initiatives with increased cannabis tax revenues

Provides funding for a new cadet class at the Illinois State Police

Includes a $10.3 million increase in General Funds to the Law Enforcement Training Standards Board for basic and in-service training requirements, including a focus on crisis intervention training for new and current officers.

Provides $2 million at the State Police for officer worn body cameras and another $3.4 million at LETSB for local government camera grants

SOCIAL SERVICES HIGHLIGHTS

Includes $1.1 billion in General Funds at Department of Children and Family Services, a 10.8 percent increase to address increased caseloads and rate reimbursement increases

Includes at the Department of Human Services:

A $170 million General Funds increase for services for people with developmental disabilities, to partially implement the Guidehouse rate study and for Ligas consent decree compliance, to a total $1.5 billion General Funds

$3.4 billion in child care program resources from state and federal funds

Eviction Mitigation/Rental Assistance Program

Additional funding for Mental Health Block Grant through ARPA funds — $25 million in federal funds

Additional funding for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant through ARPA funds - $25 million in federal funds

Includes an increase of $59.5 million General Funds under the Department on Aging's Community Care Program and additional funds for Home Delivered Meals and for the Senior Employment program and Area Agencies on Aging

Appropriates $2 billion in federal funds to the Department of Public Health for COVID-19 response including testing, contact tracing, and vaccine distribution

Includes additional funding to support 45 new positions and enhance care at the state's four veterans' homes and provides funding for the Chicago Veterans' Home

Includes additional federal funding for Illinois Department of Employment Security for improvements to the state's unemployment insurance program administration

MEDICAID

Maintains all eligibility and benefit levels in the Medicaid program to ensure individuals retain their health coverage

With the assistance of enhanced federal matching rates through the end of the calendar year, protects eligibility for currently enrolled participants

Includes funding for the Medicaid Working Group omnibus legislation (SB2294) and Public Act 102-004

Expands Medicaid-like coverage for noncitizens 55+ from 65+

REBUILD ILLINOIS

The fiscal year 2022 capital budget, included in SB2800, represents a continuation of the historic Rebuild Illinois program and other ongoing capital initiatives.

Allows the state to keep investing in projects for statewide transportation, environment, education, and community and economic development infrastructure

The FY22 capital budget also utilizes $1 billion in ARPA funds to cash-fund critical infrastructure projects for water and sewer projects and for statewide broadband, including Connect Illinois

TRANSPORTATION

Will allow IDOT to continue to hire staff to execute the landmark Rebuild Illinois construction program

Fully funds the Fiscal Year 2022 Road Program at $3.32 billion. The FY22-27 MYP totals $20.7 billion

Includes $50 million funding for Passenger Rail Operating Assistance — Amtrak

Provides a $14 million appropriation through ARPA to support the State's airports

Provides a $17 million appropriation through ARPA to support rural transit districts


This article shared 1348 times since Fri Jun 18, 2021
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Thailand parliament passes landmark marriage bill 2024-03-27
- On March 27, Thailand's parliament approved a marriage-equality bill by an overwhelmingly large margin—a landmark step that moves one of Asia's most liberal countries closer to legalizing same-sex unions, media ...


Gay News

Kara Swisher talks truth, power in tech at Chicago Humanities event 2024-03-25
- Lesbian author, award-winning journalist and podcast host Kara Swisher spoke about truth and power in the tech industry through the lens of her most recent book, Burn Book: A Tech Love Story, March 21 at First ...


Gay News

Wyoming is latest state to ban gender-affirming care for minors 2024-03-24
- On March 22, Wyoming became the latest state to prohibit gender-affirming care for minors, The Hill noted. In doing so, it joined 23 other states that passed laws restricting or banning the treatment. Legislators in both ...


Gay News

Chicago alder proposes renaming street after Obama 2024-03-22
- Openly gay Black Chicago Ald. Lamont Robinson has proposed renaming Columbus Drive after former U.S. President and city resident Barack Obama, media outlets noted. The street stretches through the Loop from East Grand Avenue to DuSable ...


Gay News

Congressional Equality Caucus on FY24 bills passing the house 2024-03-22
--From a press release - WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), released the following statement after the House successfully passed the final funding bills for Fiscal Year ...


Gay News

WORLD Uganda items, HIV report, Mandela, Liechtenstein, foreign minister weds 2024-03-21
- It turned out that U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Senior LGBTQI+ Coordinator Jay Gilliam traveled to Uganda on Feb. 19-27, per The Washington Blade. He visited the capital of Kampala and the nearby city of ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Va. marriage bill, AARP, online counseling, Idaho items, late activist 2024-03-21
- Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed bills protecting same-sex marriages at a state level, surprising some, WRIC reported. The bills—passed out of both chambers along mostly party lines—will require clerks ...


Gay News

LGBTQ+ candidates Marcelino Garcia, Precious Brady Davis win primary elections to keep MWRD seats 2024-03-21
- Marcelino Garcia and Precious Brady-Davis, the two openly LGBTQ+ incumbents in the race to keep their seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), won their primary elections and will move on to the general this ...


Gay News

Small LGBTQ+ candidate pool nevertheless scores some important victories March 19 2024-03-20
- Relatively few openly LGBTQ+ candidates were running in the March 19 Illinois Primary Election. But there were some significant contests in play at the local, state and federal levels. Openly gay Ald. Ray Lopez (15th Ward) ...


Gay News

Gay Irish prime minister to step down 2024-03-20
- In a surprise move, openly gay Irish Prime Minister (or Taoiseach) Leo Varadkar has announced his resignation, citing "personal and political, but mainly political reasons," according to CNN. Varadkar said he felt he was no longer ...


Gay News

Chicago's LGBTQ+ Advisory Council sets a new course 2024-03-18
- Chicago's LGBTQ+ Advisory Council held its first meeting of the calendar year on Feb. 28 at City Hall in the Loop under the leadership of the recently appointed chair Jin-Soo Huh. The LGBTQ+ Advisory Council is ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Missouri measure, HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, judge, Texas schools 2024-03-15
- In Missouri, a newly proposed law could charge teachers and counselors with a felony and require them to register as sex offenders if they're found guilty of supporting transgender students who are socially transitioning, CNN noted. ...


Gay News

PASSAGES: Former Chicago Commission on Human Relations chair Clarence Wood 2024-03-13
- LGBTQ ally and former Chicago Commission on Human Relations (CCHR) Chair and Commissioner Clarence N. Wood died March 5. He was 83. Wood was born April 14, 1940, in Alabama. While primarily raised in Alabama, Wood ...


Gay News

Longtime LGBTQ+-rights activist David Mixner dies at 77 2024-03-12
- On March 11, longtime LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS activist David Mixner—known for working on Bill Clinton's presidential campaign but then splitting from him over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT)—died at age 77, The Advocate reported. ...


Gay News

LGBTQ+ Victory Fund remembers co-founder David Mixner 2024-03-12
--From a press release - Today, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund President & CEO Mayor Annise Parker released the following statement on the passing of LGBTQ+ civil rights activist and LGBTQ+ Victory Fund co-founder David Mixner: "Today, we lost David Mixner, a founding ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.