SPRINGFIELD — After the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) released the following statement:
“The federal administration’s economic policies and threats to cut funding have grown the affordability crisis exponentially: people are facing high gas prices, rising costs at the grocery store and skyrocketing rent and mortgages. Illinois families have to stretch their dollars further to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads.
“My focus has always been rooted in ensuring every hardworking Illinoisan from every background has the best opportunity to provide and take care of their families, and the budget we passed today does just that. While promoting fiscal responsibility, we are also investing millions into safety net hospitals, funding for school lunch programs and increasing funding for PELL and MAP grants for college financial aid – ensuring the well-being and success of every Illinoisan.
“Providing relief and stability – from students to immigrant communities and working families –continues to be the priority. No student should have to drop out of school because they can’t afford tuition, no child deserves to go to bed hungry because their family has fallen on hard times and no one who needs care deserves to be turned down for treatment simply because they can’t afford it or don’t have insurance.
“With this budget, we are making it clear that protecting and uplifting Illinoisans across the state is our top priority.”
