Stopgap budget did some important things

After over a yearlong stalemate, the governor and the General Assembly came together and passed a short-term bridge budget. While undoubtedly neither side was entirely happy with the outcome, the budget did do some incredibly important things for the citizens of Illinois.

The agreement provided full year K-12 funding to ensure our schools open on time this fall. Your letters and calls of support must have had some impact because General State Aid was increased by $361 million, fully funding our schools at the foundation level for the first time in nearly a decade and ensuring no district receives less money than it did the prior school year.

Additionally critical funds were appropriated for both our early childhood and higher education systems. Also, our prisons, veterans' homes, and critical human services receive the funding they need to make sure essential government services can continue uninterrupted. Road construction can proceed through the summer without unnecessary delay and previously stalled capital projects can continue, improving our infrastructure and providing a boost to local economies.

This budget should also be noted for what it did not do. At the end of May, House Democrats attempted to pass a budget that was over $7 billion out-of-balance. Luckily for us, their colleagues in the Senate were not so fiscally irresponsible and voted that ridiculous proposal down.

As many have noted, this was not a comprehensive solution to our state's problems. This was a promising step forward, ensuring our most critical government services can continue while hopefully laying the groundwork for a bipartisan compromise on reforms which will grow our economy and putting Illinois on stable financial footing for years to come.

Frank A. Bart, MMayor

Wauconda