FY25 State Budget: Making Critical Investments in our State and Lowering Costs for Families
At the end of May, the General Assembly concluded its Spring Session by passing a forward-thinking and empathetic annual state budget. This budget will strengthen Illinois’ financial stability while also supporting families facing rising costs and enacting significant health insurance reforms. This year, we allocated $350 million more for elementary and secondary schools, funded a new $50 million child tax credit, and invested $10 million to erase $1 billion in medical debt for more than 300,000 Illinoisans. We also expanded access to college financial aid, including MAP Grants. You can read more about Illinois’ new budget in the newsletter below.
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests for assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my office at staterepmoeller@gmail.com or 847-841-7130. It is an honor to represent you in Springfield, and my staff and I look forward to serving you.
Warmest Regards,
Anna
Illinois’ Budget
Balanced State Budget
Illinois’ upcoming budget is Illinois’ 6th balanced budget in a row, building on five years of fiscal progress with balanced budgets. Illinois has had nine credit rating upgrades, has eliminated its bill backlog, and created a Budget Stabilization Fund that is set to surpass $2.3 billion.
Pension Obligations
The recent budget fully meets the State’s 50-year pension funding plan, making the full pension payment required by law. This amounts to $11.5 billion in total funding across all five statewide pension systems for the 2025 Fiscal Year.
Funding Education
Illinois’ new budget allocates an additional $350 million for K-12 Evidence-Based Funding, $32.7 million in grants for transportation and special education, and $10 million in MAP grant funding. It also allocates $14 million to launch Illinois’ new Department of Early Childhood and $75 million to add 5,000 seats in preschool deserts.
Relief for Families
Families in Illinois are receiving key support through this budget. This budget features a new child tax credit for working families with a child under 12 and $202 million in property tax relief. It also allocates $1 million to DHS for a low-income diaper program and provides a $36.5 million increase for the Child Care Assistance Program.
The Fiscal Year ’25 budget additionally allocates $10 million to the Illinois Grocery Initiative to address food insecurity in food deserts. It also eliminates Illinois’ grocery tax, providing Illinois families with crucial relief at the grocery store.
Support for Businesses
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will receive $25 million for competitive business development capital grants, helping expand or rehabilitate businesses in Illinois, and $30 million for the Fast-Track Workforce program for employee screening, recruitment, and job training.
Funding Healthcare
To support some of our most vulnerable, this budget dedicates an additional $19 million to mental health care and $138 million to Illinois’ Community Care Program. It also allocates $4 million to the State Department of Public Health to assess the maternal mortality rate to help Illinois become a safer state to start a family.
$500,000 in Local Mental Health Funding
This budget includes direct funding for local mental health services for families in the Elgin area. State Representative Moeller secured $500,000 for behavioral health and substance abuse services for youth, adolescents, and adults right here at home in our community.
Homelessness Prevention
To help combat homelessness in Illinois, this Budget includes $25 million in Rapid ReHousing Services and over $33 million to provide street outreach, medical respite, re-entry services, and access to counsel for unhoused people.
In addition to street outreach and rehousing, this budget also includes $75 million for court-based rental assistance and $42 million to maintain funding for Illinois’ current stock of supportive housing.
Protecting our Communities
Illinois’ new budget also addresses public safety by dedicating $5.3 for Illinois State Police cadet classes to hire an additional 100 State Troopers. Illinois will also provide $60 million for the Law Enforcement Camera Grant Fund to reimburse law enforcement agencies for body cameras and data storage.
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