Senate approves balanced budget

“The budget we passed today, along with the pension, procurement and local government reforms passed last week, demonstrate a clear sign of good faith from the Senate Democrats." - State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria)

SPRINGFIELD – Today, the Illinois Senate passed a balanced budget for the next fiscal year. The budget, which includes new revenues and spending cuts, spends the same amount of money as the governor’s proposal while balancing it unlike the governor’s past proposals.

State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) voted for the budget, citing the need to end the budget impasse. Senator Koehler issued the following statement:

“Too many people are suffering in Illinois without a budget in place,” Koehler said. “The budget we passed today, along with the pension, procurement and local government reforms passed last week, demonstrate a clear sign of good faith from the Senate Democrats. If the governor remains opposed, then it is proof that he was never interested in a deal in the first place."

“This budget provides the stability and certainty our state needs to grow in the future and focuses on recovering from this impasse. It will be years before we fully recover; however, this budget is the important first step to doing so.”

Canton to receive affordable housing grant from state

• Housing

“This grant is just one of the many ways we can guarantee our residents have safe, sanitary and stable neighborhoods that will improve our community." - State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria)

SPRINGFIELD – The city of Canton is receiving a block grant for housing from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The agency announced that 19 communities altogether would receive a combined $7.23 million.

Canton will receive a total of $315,900 to be used to help improve the availability of affordable housing for low- and middle-income families. The grant will also be used to rehabilitate and retrofit residential properties.

State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria), who represents Canton in the Illinois Senate, says the grant is great news for Fulton County’s largest city.

“Affordable housing is one of the many keys to economic growth and development,” Koehler said. “This grant is just one of the many ways we can guarantee our residents have safe, sanitary and stable neighborhoods that will improve our community."

The grant is from the Community Development Block Grant program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Illinois DCEO uses the grants to assist Illinois communities in meeting their greatest needs in economic and community development.

Koehler: Time to devote all attention to averting catastrophe

“It is now time to devote all of our attention to passing a budget and avoiding a fiscal catastrophe that will paralyze Illinois for generations." - State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria)

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) issued the following statement regarding the Grand Bargain vote in the Senate today:

“When the Illinois Senate came together in December to find a way out of this two-year impasse, we sent a message to the people of Illinois that their suffering would be over soon. A series of legislative proposals was unveiled that would include reforms the governor has been asking for. Five months later, we have changed those pieces of legislation over 30 times to accommodate our Republican colleagues to no avail.”

“It is now time to devote all of our attention to passing a budget and avoiding a fiscal catastrophe that will paralyze Illinois for generations. The people of Illinois cannot wait any longer for legislators to do their jobs and end this impasse.”

Koehler measure eliminates redundant regulation

“When we can find redundancies that we all agree should be eliminated, we should make it a point to do so as quickly as possible.” - State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria)

SPRINGFIELD – A redundant food handling certificate required by the state will be no more under legislation being considered by the Illinois Senate. House Bill 3684 will eliminate the certificate, helping small business owners and workers.

Currently, the Illinois Department of Public Health requires workers to complete an approved training program and pass an exam provided by an accredited exam provider. After the person pays for and passes the exam and secures the national certificate, they are required to electronically send the national certificate to the state and pay $35 for an Illinois specific certificate.

State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) is in favor of eliminating the $35 fee and is the legislation’s sponsor.

“Small businesses are caught in a web of local, state and federal regulations that make it difficult to manage the day-today activities of their business,” said Koehler, a former small business owner himself. “When we can find redundancies that we all agree should be eliminated, we should make it a point to do so as quickly as possible.”

The measure passed out of the Public Health Committee and now goes to the full Senate.