State Senator Dave Koehler issued the following response to Governor Bruce Rauner's first budget proposal. Rauner's plan provides a slight increase to preschool-12th grade education and prisons, while reducing – in some cases greatly – most other state spending.

"I realize that the governor had a huge task in developing this budget plan, and I am still trying to find something I can support. So many of the cuts he proposes will devastate middle-class and working families, so my concern is where is the shared sacrifice?

"If this proposal became law, we would see higher property taxes, higher tuition costs, fewer education programs that prepare our citizens for careers and college, and the end of programs that literally save people's lives. The one thing I can agree with is that we need to stop reeling from budget crisis to budget crisis year after year. I just don't agree that this is the right path.

"I hope we can work with the governor to craft a budget that makes Illinois competitive without losing all compassion for working and middle-class families."