SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Don Harmon is pleased to announce that funding has been approved for local park projects in the 39th District.

“I am thrilled that we are able to partner with local communities to support these important projects,” Harmon said. “Our parks provide wonderful gathering places for outdoor recreation to improve public health and welfare, and enhance the well-being of the entire community. It is a pleasure to support these improvements.” 

The project funding is provided through the state’s Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development program (OSLAD), administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR). 

State Senator Don Harmon believes that voters deserve the opportunity to decide whether or not the state of Illinois should have a Fair Tax or keep its current flat tax system. He’s introduced a constitutional amendment to put the question on the ballot in November.

“Changing the Illinois Constitution to allow us to create a Fair Tax will allow us to apply lower rates to lower income levels and higher rates to higher income levels,” Harmon explained.

SPRINGFIELD – At a major Senate budget hearing this morning, Illinois’ state agencies laid out their plans for addressing a 20 percent across the board funding cut, resulting from an anticipated multibillion dollar budget deficit next year. State Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) finds the situation unacceptable.

“Our state cannot turn its back on fulfilling its basic responsibilities,” Harmon said. “Look at education alone. The State Board anticipates completely eliminating early childhood education, cutting off 90,000 children from preschool. It’s incredibly shortsighted to put an entire generation at risk to balance the state budget.”

Eliminating the Early Childhood Block grant will only get the State Board of Education one-third of the way to the nearly $1 billion budget cut it needs to stay in the black. School districts throughout the state will lose funding, as will other vital programs.

State Senator Don Harmon reacts to the governor’s budget proposal:

“The governor’s budget address made clear that we have an important decision to make this year that will determine the path of our state for years to come.

Do we turn our backs on some of the state’s basic responsibilities, like providing a high quality education to Illinois’ children, helping low-income seniors stay in their homes, investing in transportation and other infrastructure that will help improve our economy, and making sure families have affordable child care? Or do we chart another course?

The governor laid out one possibility. There are others – like my Fair Tax plan – that I believe we need to discuss. What we can’t do is allow draconian cuts to devastate Illinois.”