SPRINGFIELD- The Illinois Senate passed a package of bills today that included over $3 billion in cuts, money-saving reforms and new revenues to produce a balanced budget. State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) supported the package and released the statement below following the vote.

“For the first time in over two years, this budget finally provides stability to a state that has been lurching from one crisis to the next.

“Until our state has the certainty of a balanced budget, students will continue to flee the state and universities and community colleges continue to crumble. People that use services for developmental disabilities will continue to fear the services they depend on will be eliminated, and businesses will continue to take their investments elsewhere due to the state’s instability.

“This budget mirrors the framework of the governor’s budget. It contains the exact amount of spending that the governor proposed, with many of the reforms he requested, like procurement reform, school funding reform and a property tax freeze. For the first time in two years, we now have a responsible, balanced budget that will finally bring stability to our state.”

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