SPRINGFIELD – After viewing Gov. JB Pritzker’s 2019 Budget Address, State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) released the following statement:

“The previous four years have conditioned me to automatically dislike the annual Budget Address, so it was a pleasant surprise to hear that Gov. Pritzker’s vision for the future of the state is one that is beneficial to all of the people who live here.

“I’d like to congratulate the governor for what I believe to be some very important and advantageous promises that he made in his speech. I’m glad he vows to increase investment in early childhood and K-12 education, because delivering folks a good, fulfilling life has to start young.

“I’m glad he vows to invest in social services like the CCAP program and disability services, because supporting those who need it throughout their entire lives is one of the most crucial functions of government.

“I’m glad he vows to invest in criminal justice efforts and violence prevention programs, as well as move to legalize recreational marijuana. However, I do caution that any attempt to legalize marijuana must be paired with expungement legislation so that folks who are currently in prison for marijuana offenses have a path toward release once it becomes legalized.

“This is a very good foundation upon which we can build a brighter future for everyone in Illinois that will help bridge the income inequality gap that plagues our state.

“I recently read an article about the income inequality in Chicago, which is growing at an alarming and potentially unsustainable rate. This hit home for me, because that’s where I live. It’s where I grew up, it’s where the people I represent live.

“We can use this budget as a springboard to leap toward more progressive forms of revenue, particularly a fair, progressive income tax that shifts the burden off of the black and brown working class families and onto the wealthy people who can afford to pay their fair share.

“This is a very promising budget. It’s not fully where it needs to be just yet, but I’m confident that with enough hard work, the General Assembly can use this budget as a starting point towards a functional, stable government that works for everyone and leaves no one behind.”