News

Details: Category: News; Wednesday, February 16, 2022 05:02 PM

SPRINGFIELD – Following the selection of the new Legislative Inspector General Wednesday, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) issued the following statement:

“We need to make sure the General Assembly has the proper ethical oversight, and it’s about time we select someone who understands the importance of this job.

“The Hon. Michael P. McCuskey’ commitment to public service through his work as a public defender and a judge makes him an outstanding person for the job.

“We’ve waited too long to fill the Legislative Inspector General position, and I am glad to see it finally happening. Selecting someone who will ensure ethics are upheld to the highest extent has always been a top priority, and I believe Judge McCuskey is up to the job.”

Details: Category: News; Wednesday, February 02, 2022 01:28 PM

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SPRINGFIELD – Following Gov. JB Pritzker’s State of the State and Budget Address, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) released the following statement:

“The last two years of unprecedented hardship for our families and small businesses have made our top priority helping people get back on their feet as we continue toward recovery from the pandemic.

“Our schools have been hit hard with the back-and-forth between in-person and online learning, which is why I’m glad to see additional funding for programs like the Early Childhood Block Grant as well as a $350 million investment in the Evidence-Based Funding Formula to distribute money to the schools who need it most. Additionally, increased funding for broadband will ensure our families have reliable internet access as we continue to work through unpredictable times.

“This past year, Illinois has gotten on track to increase our fiscal standing through reducing our bill backlog. Making sure we save money on unnecessary interest costs by paying our bills on time means saving Illinois taxpayers money.

“I look forward to taking a hard look at the governor’s proposed budget and working with him and my colleagues to pass a budget that continues to help us recover.”

Details: Category: News; Tuesday, February 01, 2022 09:15 AM

SPRINGFIELD – To combat rising utility bills for Illinoisans, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) has introduced legislation to end a surcharge used by natural gas companies to fund projects some argue are unnecessary, she announced in a Monday news conference.

“Utility bills are on the rise, which is hurting our consumers who have already had a difficult two years with the ongoing pandemic,” Castro said. “This legislation is about oversight. Natural gas companies have a responsibility to upgrade their systems efficiently to ensure the burden doesn’t fall on their ratepayers.”

Senate Bill 570 will help end excessive gas utility spending by ending the “Qualified Infrastructure Plant” natural gas surcharge. This surcharge historically has been used by natural gas utilities to fund urgent repairs to systems, like replacing dangerous cast iron pipes. However, this charge has continued to appear on ratepayers’ bills despite the completion of many of those types of projects.