As a human rights organization dedicated to equity and opportunity for all, Heartland Alliance supports many of the values that Governor Pritzker emphasized in his proposed 2021 Illinois budget and in yesterday’s budget address. However, as a state, we have a lot of work to do in order to ensure that Illinois is a state that provides all residents the opportunity to thrive and not struggle to make ends meet.
The fair tax constitutional amendment, which will allow for a state graduated income tax if it passes in November, is key to making bolder strategic investments. The proposed fair tax will give working families a tax cut, raise taxes for the top three percent of earners who make more than a quarter-million dollars, and generate more than $3 billion in new revenue per year to invest in our communities. Illinois has underinvested in health, human services, and education for far too long and it is time to fully fund the services our communities desperately need. We commend the Governor for his leadership in supporting this a tax policy that will benefit the majority Illinoisans.
The Governor’s address also spoke to recently pardoning 11,000 people who had cannabis-related convictions. Heartland Alliance commends the Governor for his leadership and we look forward to future investments that break down barriers related to housing, employment, and education for the many people across our state who have been justice-involved.
The Governor’s 2021 budget proposal provides important investments that promote equity and opportunity for all, including:
Health and healing
- Provides for much-needed additional staff at the Department of Human Services to help with and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
- Invests state dollars in Navigators, community-based professionals who will provide Illinoisans assistance in obtaining Affordable Care Act and Medicaid health coverage; and
- Allocates new state dollars to support expanded community-based mental health and substance use treatment.
Safety and justice
- Stabilizes funding for community-based violence intervention and prevention programs, and adds funding for more comprehensive clinics for survivors of trauma.
Economic opportunity
- Doubles the state’s investment in “SNAP to Success,” which leverages additional federal funding to provide people who receive SNAP with education, skills training, supportive services, and job placement assistance;
- Injects hundreds of millions of additional dollars into the state through the implementation of Integrated Health Homes, a new care coordination model to support people enrolled in Medicaid who have significant physical and behavioral health needs; and
- Invests in critical services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, such as youth and adults who need emergency, transitional, and supportive housing.
We urge the Governor and the General Assembly to work together to pass a budget that invests in bold solutions, addresses Illinois’s finances, and positions the state to ensure equity and opportunity for ALL.
