Gov. Blagojevich traveled through Illinois this week to promote his plan to provide every Illinoisan with access to affordable health coverage, boost funding for education, provide property tax relief and fix an unfair tax system         

[April 07, 2007]  DANVILLE -- Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich joined community leaders, business owners, health care advocates, families and community members in Danville on Thursday to rally support for his "Investing in Families" budget plan. The crowd of supporters gathered at the Laura Lee Fellowship House in Danville on the last evening of the governor's bus tour, a four-day trip across Illinois to promote his budget plan. The proposed budget includes the Illinois Covered plan to provide affordable comprehensive health insurance to all Illinoisans, the Helping Kids Learn plan to invest an additional $10 billion in Illinois schools over the next four years, the Tax Fairness Plan requiring big businesses to pay their fair share and giving the middle class the relief it deserves, and a plan to address the state's longtime pension deficit and ensure secure retirements for thousands of workers.

"We have a unique opportunity to fundamentally reform the way state government meets its responsibilities so that middle class and working families are at the center of what we do," Blagojevich said. "This kind of community support is exactly what we need to make the Investing in Families plan a reality. I urge all of you to contact your legislators so we can make Illinois a better place to live by making sure every family can get affordable health coverage, by reducing pension debt and increasing funding for our schools. These are attainable goals. We just need to stick together and make sure our voices are heard."

During the rally, several local elected officials and members from various business, education, religious and community organizations spoke in support of the governor's Investing in Families plan, including Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Administrator Vito Palazzolo and Pastor Fredrick Cowen of New Hope, president of the Ministerial Association of Illinois.

Also rallying in support of the governor's plan were members from the East Central Illinois Community Action Agency -- an organization that has recently made great effort in drawing support from the community for the governor's Investing in Families initiatives. Speaking on behalf of the organization at the rally, Dwight Lucas, chief executive officer of the agency, voiced his support for the governor's plan.

"The governor's plan will have enormous benefits for the community -- and certainly for business owners like me," Lucas said. "Providing access to health care for all citizens and making sure our kids have the resources they need to do well in school is extremely important and will benefit all Illinoisans. Having been a former school board member, I know the importance of having a new stream of funds to help with old and dilapidated school facilities. It's important for our kids to have the opportunity to be on the cutting edge of technology. These funds will go a long way for educating our kids and keeping them healthy."

Blagojevich has received support from nearly 200 health care, education, business, religious, government and labor organizations from around the state since kicking off his Investing in Families bus tour on Monday in Chicago. This past week, the governor has traveled Illinois to promote his fiscal 2008 budget plan, stopping at restaurants, businesses, schools and rallies in communities throughout Illinois.

"We can do better and we must do better -- for our future, for our children and for our grandchildren," said Chuck White, owner of Chuck White Signs & Designs. "I think everyone should get behind Governor Blagojevich's Investing in Families plan to get taxes on an equal playing field and make sure everyone in Illinois can get affordable health care. I don't want to see big businesses continue to pay little to no taxes, while small businesses like mine are picking up the balance. We just can't afford it. I believe in the governor's plan. It can do nothing but benefit us all. The people who are complaining about it are the ones who are finding loopholes to avoid paying their fair share."

Blagojevich's fiscal 2008 budget proposal includes fundamental changes that will benefit the people of Illinois for generations to come. The governor's Illinois Covered plan will ensure all 1.4 million uninsured adults have access to quality, affordable health care and will help many middle-income families and small businesses that are currently enrolled in health insurance plans save thousands a year on health care costs. The plan will also reform the existing health care system to improve quality and require more accountability.

Recently, Blagojevich's plan received support from the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Education Association. Both groups, representing thousands of teachers and school staff throughout the state, are advocating for the Helping Kids Learn plan to invest an unprecedented $10 billion in schools over the next four years -- nearly three times bigger than any increase in state history. For Illinois' deteriorating schools, the plan will invest more than $1.5 billion in a capital construction plan for projects to improve and upgrade classrooms and schools. Under the plan, general state aid to schools will increase by more than $800 million next year, raising the foundation level by $724 to $6,058.

Highlights of the governor's plan for fiscal 2008:

• A historic Tax Fairness Plan that closes corporate loopholes and gives the middle class the relief it deserves.

• A record new investment of $10 billion in schools over the next four years -- nearly three times bigger than any increase in state history -- and property tax relief for homeowners across the state.

• Illinois Covered, an affordable, reliable health care plan to cover the 1.4 million uninsured adults in Illinois and provide assistance to millions of middle-income families and small businesses struggling to keep up with health insurance costs.

• Addressing the state's longtime pension deficit and ensuring secure retirements for thousands of workers by leasing the Illinois Lottery and investing the proceeds toward the pension debt.

• A capital budget to make important investments in schools, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.

[Text from file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]