Dear Neighbor,

Tomorrow the Illinois General Assembly returns to session.  The focus must continue to be on restoring Illinois to fiscal health.  The Civic Federation, a non-partisan organization that analyzes the State budget, releases a new report today projecting that Illinois' unpaid bill will grow to nearly $35 billion in 5 years if we do not take serious steps to rein in spending. Critical issues that must be addressed include:

• Pension reform:  As you know from news reports, the State's unfunded pension liabilities are the worst in the country.  We must take additional steps to keep the pension systems solvent and assure all employees they will have pensions in the future.  The Governor has established a group with all parties at the table to develop recommendations, and other discussions are under way as well.
• Medicaid cost containment: The largest driver of increased cost in the state is the rapidly rising cost of the Medicaid program.  I led a bipartisan effort to get Medicaid recipients into coordinated care programs to both improve health outcomes by incentivizing providers to keep patients healthy and reduce costs.  This program must be aggressively implemented and the State will need further reforms to check the rapidly rising Medicaid costs.  As co-chair of the legislatures bipartisan, bicameral Medicaid Advisory Committee, I will continue this effort.
• Long term care rebalancing:  Compared to other states, Illinois warehouses our seniors and people with disabilities and mental illnesses in institutions.  Only 2 states institutionalize more individuals with developmental disabilities than Illinois, for example.  I led the nursing home reform legislation to improve these facilities and the fight to restore funding for community mental health.  Working with advocates, I will continue to push for closing institutions and increasing our community and home based care.  Community and home based care leads to better outcomes for individuals at a lower cost.
• Employee/retiree health care:  Illinois retirees and employees pay a much lower share of their health care costs than employees/retirees in other states and the private sector.  Increasing this share should be examined and managed while ensuring low-income beneficiaries can maintain affordable health care.
• Statutory transfers out:  The State has a significant amount of General Revenue Fund dollars (close to $3 billion) that comes off the top of the budget and has historically avoided the scrutiny of the appropriations process.  These transfers must be analyzed and reduced as well.

The General Assembly and Governor must make many difficult decisions.  I look forward to the Governor's State of the State address this Wednesday, February 1st and his Budget Address on February 22nd to see a direction he proposes.  As an appropriations chair, I will push for critical - even when difficult - decisions to return Illinois to fiscal health, while minimizing risk for our neediest residents.  Please contact me with questions, concerns or suggestions at 773-769-1717 or hsteans@senatedem.ilga.gov.  I believe it will be a very challenging session.

Best regards,

Heather Steans