SPRINGFIELD – Today, Governor Rauner addressed the General Assembly to explain his proposed budget. In response, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) released the following statement.

“We have heard this budget address before,” said Castro. “For the third year now, the governor has failed to present a balanced budget and as a result, social services and higher education continue to suffer.”

“Gov. Rauner presented some great talking points, but that’s all they are: talk, nothing solid. The Senate, in a bipartisan fashion, has worked to put forth action. Words are meaningless without action. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the legislature to negotiate a grand bargain and am hopeful that the governor will support it when it comes to his desk.”

ELGIN- The staggering effects of Illinois’ budget stalemate and the components of a wide-ranging Senate plan to break the impasse were the focus of Senator Cristina Castro’s first town hall meeting with constituents in Elgin Wednesday night.

Castro, an Elgin Democrat, was sworn in for her first term as a state senator in January. She co-hosted the town hall meeting with Representative Anna Moeller, also an Elgin Democrat. More than 150 people turned out for the discussion. Although originally scheduled for an hour, Castro and Moeller spent two-hours speaking with their constituents on a wide-range of issues.  

"Local residents are the voices that should be heard first and foremost in Springfield," Castro said. "Town hall meetings are one of the ways that legislators like Rep. Moeller and I can hear what our constituents’ concerns are so we can work together towards improving our state.”

SPRINGFIELD- This week Gov. Rauner delivered his State of the State address. In response, Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) released the following statement.

“Today, the governor laid out his vision for a more prosperous and safe Illinois. While I disagree with some of his ideas on how to achieve this, I look forward, as a new member of the General Assembly, to work in a bipartisan fashion to move past this stalemate for the sake of the people of Illinois.”