On Monday, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton returned to the Chicago’s City Club to provide his perspective of the accomplishments and challenges facing Illinois state government.

Cullerton’s speech recapped the enormous reforms and progress that lawmakers have made in changing the rules and the culture under the Statehouse dome.  He highlighted the monumental ethics reforms passed early in his tenure as Senate President, reminded the crowd of the Senate Democrats’ leadership in finally establishing the most comprehensive infrastructure program in state history, and provided some cold, hard facts on why lawmakers passed a temporary tax increase in January.

The Senate President also provided the crowd of civic leaders with a visual explanation of the fiscal challenges that legislators are facing when it comes to the state budget.

[video courtesy of the City Club of Chicago]

Related: Cullerton talks pension fund options with City Club; Cullerton Clarifies Retirement Tax Talk