Post by Logan on Jun 21, 2016 3:34:42 GMT -6
Despite budget woes, area lawmakers point to progress at state Capitol
PEORIA — It may have seemed that Illinois lawmakers spent the totality of their spring session not getting very far on reaching a deal on a state budget, but area legislators also tackled topics of local interest.
"The budget consumes 90 percent of our time and our thinking and our press, but if you look at what else was done, I think we had a productive year," state Sen. Dave Koehler said.
While there wasn't as much legislation as in past years — with the ongoing financial issues putting a damper on lawmaking efforts — Koehler, Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, both D-Peoria, and a GOP colleague, Rep. Mike Unes of East Peoria, were all upbeat about some of the local accomplishments.
Unes and Koehler highlighted a bill they jointly worked on that would remove a requirement that, because it's government property, schools that have vocational programs in which students build a house must sell that dwelling via a property auction rather than through a Realtor. It was sparked by a request from Pekin Community High School.
Read more: www.pjstar.com/news/20160618/despite-budget-woes-area-lawmakers-point-to-progress-at-state-capitol
PEORIA — It may have seemed that Illinois lawmakers spent the totality of their spring session not getting very far on reaching a deal on a state budget, but area legislators also tackled topics of local interest.
"The budget consumes 90 percent of our time and our thinking and our press, but if you look at what else was done, I think we had a productive year," state Sen. Dave Koehler said.
While there wasn't as much legislation as in past years — with the ongoing financial issues putting a damper on lawmaking efforts — Koehler, Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, both D-Peoria, and a GOP colleague, Rep. Mike Unes of East Peoria, were all upbeat about some of the local accomplishments.
Unes and Koehler highlighted a bill they jointly worked on that would remove a requirement that, because it's government property, schools that have vocational programs in which students build a house must sell that dwelling via a property auction rather than through a Realtor. It was sparked by a request from Pekin Community High School.
Read more: www.pjstar.com/news/20160618/despite-budget-woes-area-lawmakers-point-to-progress-at-state-capitol