Greetings!
I’ve always been a strong advocate of balanced budgets, and now I am proud to report that Illinois Democrats have gone above and beyond that. Last week, the Governor signed our fiscally responsible proposal to pay down $4.1 billion in debt.
Our efforts mean that taxpayers will save billions over the long run. And, it offers us peace of mind that we’re taking serious steps to put our financial house back in order.
We anticipate having our End of Session Town Hall in mid-June where I will share more budget details and other highlights from this session.
I've also included some information below on several virtual job fairs and community events coming up that I hope you will find useful.
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As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns to 847-424-5401 or to our new constituent outreach email: contact@robyngabel.com. I continue to wish you and your loved ones good health and peace during this time.
Best regards,
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Legislative Recap & Budget Updates |
Recently, my new district director Diane Goldring accompanied me to Springfield. It was a great opportunity to introduce Diane to my colleagues and give her a tour of the capitol. We are pictured below with Governor JB Pritzker. |
Last week, I joined fellow Democratic leaders in the General Assembly and Speaker Welch for Governor Pritzker's signing of SB2803, which pays off $4.1 billion in debt and saves taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in interest payments. |
- $2.7 billion to support local businesses' balance sheets through assisting the unemployment insurance trust fund.
- $898 million in legacy debt for state employee health insurance.
- $300 million more towards our state’s pension funds, which will reduce liabilities by $1 billion between now and 2045.
- More than $200 million to pay off College Illinois, the 1990s prepaid tuition program that has been on the verge of insolvency for years. This one-time payment saves taxpayers $75 million in unnecessary costs over the remaining life of the program.
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The Civic Federation commended the Governor and other state leaders for taking action to further reduce the State’s outstanding liabilities and improving its financial condition. They announced support for the Governor’s FY2023 budget proposal, noting that “Illinois is now in a position where it can make plans to support budgetary stability, including increasing budgetary reserves and avoiding future bill backlogs.” |
Above, I am pictured on the left during the bill signing ceremony for SB2803.
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Let's take a moment to celebrate our state's student artists. Last month (March) was Youth Art Month, and supporting the arts in our schools is a top priority of mine. View the winning entries from this year below, and find out more information about the Illinois Art Education Association's programs online here. |
The Illinois Solar Energy Association's Virtual Job Fair
Thursday, April 14
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Thanks to the historic passage of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) last fall, Illinois is getting ready for a big boom in solar installations across the state - that means that solar companies are hiring!
The Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA) is hosting a Virtual Solar Job Fair on Thursday, April 14th from 8 AM to 1 PM CT. To register for this event, or to find out more details about participating companies with open positions, please click here.
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The Department of Child & Family Services
Virtual Employment Workshops
Tuesday, April 19 & Thursday, May 19
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DCFS Recruiters will provide information about how to apply for State of Illinois positions and what to expect during interviews. To register for the April 19th webinar, click here. To register for the May 19th webinar, please click here.
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Join our Beach Clean Up Team!
Saturday, April 23
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Register today to join our office in an "Adopt a Beach" clean up event in honor of Earth Day at Evanston's Dempster-Greenwood Beach on Saturday, April 23.
You may sign up to join our team online here and meet us 10 a.m. at the beach house at the lakefront at the east end of Dempster St. The event should wrap up by noon.
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Register Now: Race Against Hate 5K
Sunday, June 19
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The Race Against Hate, now in it's 23rd year, honors the legacy of Ricky Byrdsong, a Northwestern University basketball coach who was murdered in a hate crime. The Race Against Hate brings together thousands of people from all over Chicagoland to run and walk in unity against racial hatred and violence.
The Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate not only features a fast, flat, and scenic race course, but also on-field refreshments, give-away bags, awards, music, and fun for the whole family. Whether you’re a casual walker or a competitive runner, there’s a place for you!
Funds raised through this event go towards supporting violence prevention and racial equity programs. This year's 5K will be on Juneteenth. Register online here.
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. We have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it." - Ricky Byrdsong
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Get Boosted to Protect Against COVID-19 |
The CDC and Cook County Department of Public Health recommend vaccines for everyone 5+ years and booster shots for everyone over 12.
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