Castro joins Pritzker to celebrate budget investments [VIDEO]

• Budget
• 103rd General Assembly

Para leer en español, haz click aqui.

CHICAGO – State Senator Cristina Castro joined Governor JB Pritzker on Wednesday to applaud the signing of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget, marking the fifth balanced budget that the state has passed in the last five years.

“Families in my district – a community that contains the second-largest school district in Illinois – want us to tackle the rising cost of higher education and invest in their local schools,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Providing funding so that school districts can hire more teachers, families can secure a preschool spot for their young child, and nearly all students at or below the median income level can access college for free meets the moment we’re in. With this budget, we are committing to making Illinois the best place in the nation to live, work, go to school and raise a family.”

The Fiscal Year 2024 budget reflects a balanced plan with conservative revenue estimates. The budget funds additional investments in education and human services while exceeding pension contributions and continuing progress by paying off $450 million in rail-splitter bond debt – saving the state millions in interest and virtually eliminating all short and medium-term debt.

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Castro welcomes smart investments in balanced state budget

• Budget

Para leer en español, haz click aqui.

SPRINGFIELD – Following the Senate’s advancement of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) released the following statement:

“This balanced budget makes historic investments in education, business assistance and help for communities in need, all while improving our state’s financial standing. Record funding for financial aid will give thousands of students the chance to seek higher education, no matter their background. The highest funding increases for higher education institutions in more than 20 years will support the economic hubs that our colleges and universities fuel in their communities.

“Illinois’ fiscal outlook has boomed thanks to the calculated spending decisions of recent years. We continue to move beyond the financial distress of the past by forging a new path forward: one marked by balanced budgets, extra pension contributions, credit rating upgrades, paying off our debt in advance and more – all steps that reduce liability for current and future taxpayers.

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Castro secures more than $420,000 for local libraries

• Grants
• Gail Borden Public Library
• Fox River Valley Public Library
• Poplar Creek Public Library

ELGIN – To further expand services, programs and library materials, State Senator Cristina Castro announced that three local libraries will receive $420,445 in grants from the Illinois Secretary of State.

“Libraries bring a wealth of knowledge and resources to kids and families in every corner of our state, and these investments will help them serve even more residents,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “I look forward to seeing the continuing impact our local libraries have on our community. From supporting early literacy to bridging the digital divide, libraries are vital to the fabric of our neighborhoods.”

The Public Library Per Capita Grants are authorized under Illinois library law for public libraries. Each year the program allocates money for books and learning materials, staff, equipment, digital access and new technology. The following local libraries received funding:

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Castro package to improve equity in procurement, state contracts clears Senate

• Procurement
• 103rd General Assembly
• House Bill 2878

State Senator Cristina Castro advanced a legislative package from the Senate to help improve the procurement process in state contracts and provide pivotal economic opportunities and flexibilities to minority-owned businesses, universities, subcontractors, local governments and more.

“While minority- and women-owned businesses continue to face barriers to conducting business with the state, the demand for infrastructure and energy projects continues to boom, creating many more opportunities. This measure will make sure these critical economic opportunities are extended to those who have historically been shut out of the commerce process,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Through these changes, we continue our work to cut red tape and make Illinois’ business environment more equitable and efficient.”

The measure makes a number of changes to improve state contracts for veterans, women, people with disabilities and minorities, streamline the procurement process, and allow additional flexibility for universities, small businesses and contractors.

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