The serious financial problems our state is facing today were not created over night. We’re not going to be able to cut our way out of this hole in a matter of weeks, or even months; it’s going to take some time. We have a major problem and every state agency and department is going to be faced with some cuts, but it is essential that we best ensure those cuts are made responsibly and fairly.

During tough times like these, we all have to be in this together. We also need to make sure you know what’s going on in Springfield and the record is set straight. An article published last week by a not-for-profit, Springfield-based publication inaccurately reported that a bill, which passed a Senate committee earlier in the week with bipartisan support, would have resulted in a pay increase for state lawmakers. The news report was factually inaccurate and the news publication has since issued a clear correction to the report. Unfortunately, many residents in our area did not notice the retraction and some continue to think the bad information is correct. I want the people of our district to know that I am fighting for your interests, not lawmakers’. It’s out of the question to even think of raising lawmakers’ pay when hospitals, nursing homes, and substance abuse treatment centers are facing devastating cuts.

Here’s the truth: the bill-in-question (Senate Bill 260) cuts the pay of Illinois lawmakers and top state officials by a total of $1.2 million. Under the legislation, state senators and state representatives will each see about a $3,100 cut in their pay. Residents can view the bill on the General Assembly’s website at www.ilga.gov, or for more information about this topic, visit my website at www.SenatorForby.com.

Throughout the budget negotiations, I have worked to protect Southern Illinois’ most essential services – like hospitals, nursing homes, and substance abuse treatment programs. This past week, a bill I sponsored and sent to the governor will increase funding for struggling health care facilities in our area by addressing inequalities in trauma funding throughout the state. Currently, a $5 surcharge for every moving violation and $100 in additional fines imposed for DUI convictions or supervision orders are collected to be put into the state’s Trauma Center Fund. However, almost all the Fund’s monies were being distributed unequally – benefitting mostly the Chicago area. House Bill 1391 authorizes monies from the Trauma Center Fund to be distributed to health care facilities, instead of solely trauma centers. This allows our district to get some of the benefit of the fund we already pay into. The Fund wasn’t meant for just Chicago to benefit from and I will continue to fight to keep money in our area for the struggling health care facilities.