State Sen. Chapin Rose issued the following statement after the Senate passed a state budget May 30.
Rose, one of two Senate Republican budget negotiators, worked to get the first state budget balanced in Illinois in years.
“Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle worked incredibly hard to finally get a budget that will be balanced and also includes no new tax increases.
“Pension reform saves more than $440 million for the taxpayers. The budget also provides more help to local governments and K-12 schools to help ease the over-reliance on local property taxes.
“Just as important, this budget strives to stop the ‘brain-drain’ of Illinois students attending college outside of Illinois by reforming the Illinois MAP grant program and offering more investment in higher education as a whole. It also establishes a merit-based scholarship program. All of this sends a strong message to students and their families that we want them in Illinois and we are making college more affordable.
“Republicans were also able to stop $500 million in new spending and new programs Democrats originally wanted in the budget. This is what happens when you have Republicans at the table – you drive important reforms, not create spending.”
Fiscal Year 2019 begins July 1.