State Senator Sally Turner (R-Beason) issued the following statement in response to the Governor’s proposed budget from his budget address:
“There are positive aspects of this proposed budget, like the inclusion of funding to address the blighted Lincoln Developmental Center. This has been a long-overdue issue that I have been fighting to address for the past four years through multiple legislative proposals, and it is good to see the Governor take an interest in heeding my pleas to finally do something to address this eyesore and put the land to good use for the people of Central Illinois.
“That being said, my concerns about the overall spending remain. In what was supposed to be a tight budget year, the Governor has instead proposed the largest spending plan in state history. It is nice to see that he is acknowledging the need to scale back the state’s costly non-citizen healthcare program, we must ensure that this budget is not just another spending spree that Illinois taxpayers cannot afford.
“As we work through the budget process this spring, I will continue to advocate for a responsible and sustainable budget, with a focus on addressing key issues like the LDC, which have been left unresolved for far too long.”