Join budget confab at MCC tomorrow

The General Assembly has just completed the first full month of its spring session and it is evident that Illinois faces serious financial challenges in the year ahead.

We must close a deficit that some fiscal experts have estimated to be as high as $2.75 billion, forcing us to make hard decisions.

State Sen. Pam Althoff, state Rep. Mike Tryon and I are hosting a meeting to bring state government to the people, provide a greater understanding of Illinois' current financial condition and give local residents the opportunity to offer their views on what state funding priorities should be.

We will hear from front-line social service providers, local governments, health care facilities, school districts, colleges, labor unions, business groups and civic organizations as we work toward crafting a responsible state budget.

McHenry County residents are invited to attend the hearing at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow at the McHenry County College Conference Center, U.S. Highway 14 in Crystal Lake.

For more information, or to request to be added to the agenda, please call my Woodstock office at (815) 334-0063.

Jack Franks

State representative

63rd District

Woodstock