Murphy votes to create stability, end budget impasse

SPRINGFIELD- State Senator Laura Murphy released the statement below after a budget deal passed the Senate to put an end to the over two-year budget impasse.

“Today, the Senate voted for a balanced, bipartisan budget to put an end to the impasse that has threatened the future of our state.

“This budget will finally stop the financial bleeding that has cost the state of Illinois over $11 million a day, threatened to put Illinois in junk bond status, eliminated services for seniors and those with disabilities and threatened schools from opening on time. The lack of a budget prevented job growth and job creators from locating in Illinois.

“This is a budget that ensures schools open on time and road work continues. It protects middle class jobs from being eliminated and reinstates MAP grants for college and university students.

“I encourage the governor to immediately sign our proposal to prevent our state from plummeting to junk bond status and further destroying our state.”

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Budget impasse to delay construction on Kennedy Expressway

SPRINGFIELD- The Illinois Department of Transportation recently announced nearly 700 roadwork projects, including much of the construction on the Kennedy Expressway, will halt after June 30 due to the ongoing state budget impasse.

“Prolonging construction on the Kennedy Expressway, one of the busiest in the entire country, makes our roads more dangerous and increases the daily commute time of thousands of people across the Northwest Suburbs,” said State Sen. Laura Murphy, a Des Plaines Democrat.

IDOT also estimated the construction delay could put up to 25,000 people out of work.

“The so-called pro-businesses governor should realize laying off thousands of workers and creating barriers for others to commute to work every day will have a long-term negative impact on our state’s economy and does nothing to encourage job creators to come to Illinois,” Murphy said. “This is yet another example of how Gov. Rauner’s failure to negotiate a balanced budget is having a real impact on the lives of everyday Illinoisans.”

While the state continues to collect the tax dollars to pay for these projects through the gas tax, the money cannot be spent without a state budget.

Last month, the Senate voted to authorize the nearly $2.3 billion in spending to allow these projects to continue. Sen. Murphy supported the proposal.

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Murphy to governor: Time to stop the games

SPRINGFIELD- State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) released the statement below after Gov. Rauner’s self-proclaimed “unity” speech at the Old State Capitol in Springfield.

“If Gov. Rauner had been at the Capitol last month instead of crafting his multi-million-dollar smear campaign, he may have noticed the Senate already passed a balanced budget that contained property tax reform, term limits for legislative leadership and many of the other reforms he has demanded. We took the necessary steps to provide stability and certainty to the state without him.

“Now, he’s called the legislature back to Springfield to the tune of $48,000 per day. It’s time for him to drop the political games and join us in supporting a balanced budget.”

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Murphy to governor: It’s past time to take the budget impasse seriously

SPRINGFIELD- State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) issued the statement below after Gov. Bruce Rauner called the Illinois legislature back to Springfield for special session on June 21.

“I’m willing to negotiate a balanced budget with the governor any time or any place. The Senate spent six months this spring negotiating a balanced budget to provide much-needed stability for our state.

“The budget plan we put together includes $3 billion in cuts and many of the reforms he initially proposed. It’s disappointing that during those negotiations he was traveling the state on a campaign tour.

“Hopefully now the governor will begin to take his job seriously and join us to negotiate a balanced budget that protects colleges and universities, services for the most vulnerable citizens of our society and provides stability for small businesses and our entire state.

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