Yingling Votes to Pass Critical Services Budget

For Immediate Release:

For More Information:

July 10, 2015

State Rep. Sam Yingling

847- 231-6262

repsamyingling@gmail.com

GRAYSLAKE, Ill. – Continuing to fight to protect middle-class families, the elderly and the sick and disabled from the devastating effects of a government shutdown, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, voted to continue funding for critical in-home care for seniors, services for the disabled and essential public safety programs as legislators and the governor work to pass a comprehensive state budget.

“Voting to pass a critical services budget is a vote for the middle-class families of our communities, the children who are victims of abuse and need protection, the seniors who receive in-home care and the countless others who rely on essential state services, and should not fall victim to the political games perpetrated by some politicians in Springfield,” Yingling said. “There is a great deal of work that remains to be done, and I continue to call for a balanced budget that provides for the crucial services middle-class families depend on.”

As a new fiscal year began without a long-term state budget in place this month, a number of critical services including in-home care for seniors, the salaries of state police officers, therapeutic services for the developmentally disabled and even the incarceration of sexually violent criminals were at risk of being stopped.

Yingling voted to pass Senate Bill 2040, a critical services budget which provides continued funding for some of Illinois’ most important state services while legislators and the governor work to craft a long-term state budget. Yingling voted to protect critical funding for the Community Care Program, which allows elderly residents to stay in their homes and avoid costlier nursing home care, therapy and work placement assistance for the physically disabled, care for aging veterans, protective shelters for children who are victims of abuse, and public safety services, including operating expenses for prisons and the Illinois State Police, and funding for a program that keeps dangerous sexual predators incarcerated.

“This is a temporary solution to a long term problem, but it is a vital and necessary step to make sure essential services remain intact as a result of the governor and legislative leaders’ government shutdown,” Yingling said. “Halting services that allow seniors to stay in their homes, protect young victims of abuse, and keep our communities safe is unconscionable. I hope the governor will join us in recognizing this, and sign this critical measure into law immediately.”

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