It was only a small step, but for Rep. Steven Andersson (R-Geneva) the approval of Senate Bill 6 on Friday afternoon was a leap forward.
“I come to you today with joy,” Andersson told the House. “Not with fear. Not with remorse. Not with hesitation. I come to you with joy because I know...the people in this room are here to do the right thing. And I know today we are going to do the right thing. We’re going to save our state. We’re going save our state together.”
While a budget vote has yet to happen, the test vote on the budget amendment known as SB6 appears to be a way for Illinois to start getting out of its financial mess.
"I wore a purple tie today," Andersson said. "Purple is not red. Purple is not blue. Purple is what we need to be today to get this job done. So, I again say I come with joy. This is the right thing to do. It’s a balanced budget.”
SB6 will provide more than $36 billion in funding to the state but still needs final approval from the House before it is sent to Gov. Bruce Rauner. That final approval will miss the midnight deadline, which means that Illinois will officially enter its third year without a budget on Saturday.
Still, Andersson conveyed hope.
“We’re being responsible,” Andersson said. “And I want to just reemphasize the good, not the negatives, of what happens if we don’t do this, because we are going to do this. I want to reemphasize the good -- the things we are going to help. We’re going to reinstitute the funding for those needed human services. We’re going fund autism. We’re going to fund breast cancer screenings. We’re going to fund at-risk youths. We’re going to make that happen again. We’re going to stabilize our state. We’re going to let our businesses grow because they know there will be a state tomorrow and the next day and the next day. We’re going to make all of that happen and more.”
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