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At the start of the four-hour meeting, Smith outlined this year's
long and often contentious budget process. The General Assembly
finally came together and passed a budget on Aug. 9. The
discussion then turned to the governor's politically motivated
budget cuts -- $463 million from a state budget that passed with
bipartisan legislative support. Smith, the 91st District
representative, said the governor cut funds that would go to
schools, road improvements, nursing homes and hospitals, and wants
to use the money to fund a universal health care program, which has
not been approved by lawmakers.
Brady, 44th District senator, told the crowd that while the
state's budget should probably be trimmed by about $500 million to
make it more fiscally sound, he does not agree with the governor's
attempts to use the money from local projects and human services
cuts to implement his universal health care program.
"The governor is on a crusade against what he calls ‘pork,' but
he is going to have a hard time justifying why he cut some very
important local projects and allowed other, very similar projects to
remain in the budget," Brady said. "It seems that he has made
himself the arbiter of what is considered ‘pork' and what is not.
Well, he should know that the more than 100 people who came to the
Pekin Public Library tonight would beg to differ with his
decisions."
The series of 19 regional budget hearings started Sept. 12 and
continues through Sept. 27.
[Text from file sent on behalf of
Sen.
Bill Brady by Illinois
Senate Republican staff] |
