Posts filed under 'Get Involved'
With the election less than three months away, Republican candidates running for the Illinois House of Representatives have announced an Agenda for Action to reform Illinois state government. Candidates from across the state have been promoting this new agenda in a series of town hall meetings over the past month.
The agenda has seven objectives ranging from returning fiscal responsibility to state government to protecting children from online predators, but here are some specific proposals from the agenda that I think Illinois taxpayers will appreciate the most:
- Creating REAL balanced budgets. The way the State currently operates, any expenses that the State can’t pay for out of the current year’s budget can be transferred to the next year to create the appearance of a balanced budget. This just pawns the responsibility for reducing the budget deficit onto future generations. The Agenda for Action includes measures to ban the transfer of unpaid obligations from one fiscal year to the next and require that proposed budgets be available for public scrutiny before legislators vote on them.
- Cracking down on “Pay to Play” politics in Illinois. The Agenda for Action calls for enacting the Nation’s toughest Anti-Corruption Laws by banning government officials from soliciting contributions from contractors conducting business with the State and increasing public disclosure requirements for consultants and advisors to State boards and commissions.
- Making Higher Education More Affordable. Education is key to ensuring Illinois children can compete in a global economy. The Agenda for Action seeks to reduce tuition rates and increase financial aid opportunities at state universities. It also calls for placing a greater priority on accepting qualified in-state students for admission.
What I like about the Agenda for Action is that this isn’t Republicans complaining about what’s wrong in Springfield — instead they are offering some real, constructive solutions to the problems facing our State.
As the Daily Herald reflected in an editorial following one of the town hall meetings:
“Illinois House Republicans are saying the right things on what the state must do to honor its commitments to the public to be ethically and fiscally responsible in managing tax dollars and providing services.”
But in order for them to do the right things – voters need to elect them in November. Here are some local women candidates who participated in the town halls to show their support for the Agenda for Action: Peggy Brothman of Hoffman Estates, Anita Forte-Scott of Schaumburg, Kay Hatcher of Yorkville, Rep. Rosemary Mulligan of Des Plaines, Christine Prochno of Elk Grove Village, and Darlene Senger of Naperville.
If you agree with what’s on the agenda and you live in district of one of these candidates, I encourage you to contact them to see how you can support their campaign efforts. And, as always, please voice in and let us know what you think of the Agenda for Action.
Posted by April Green
August 25th, 2008
As I’m sure many of you have seen on the news, towns in Illinois and throughout the Midwest have been hit or are preparing to be hit by devastating flood waters. According to the Chicago Tribune , the American Red Cross Domestic Relief Fund has nearly been exhausted due to flooding and tornadoes in surrounding states and the Quincy Herald-Whig reports that volunteers are needed in communities across the Mississippi River to help with filling and distributing sandbags to stop the anticipated 30-foot flood waters that are expected to hit Friday.
How to Volunteer before Friday (June 20th):
If you are able to volunteer with the sandbagging efforts, Quincy, Illinois (located in State Representative Jil Tracy’s district) is looking for volunteers. Quincy and the surrounding areas are preparing to be hit on Friday. Volunteers are still needed today and tomorrow to contribute to the effort. To volunteer with the Quincy sandbagging operation please contact: 217-242-3703 or 217-242-3739.
How to Donate to a Relief Fund:
Help support those in Illinois and across the Midwest who are in need of emergency relief by making a donation to the American Red Cross Domestic Relief Fund online .
- OR -
Make a contribution to a fund created specifically for towns in the Wabash River Valley along the Indiana border. Contributions should be mailed to:
Wabash Valley Flood Relief Fund
c/o Farmers & Merchants Bank of Hutsonville
PO Box 277
Hutsonville, IL 62433
Please consider making a modest donation of your time or resources to one of these important efforts and stay tuned for other opportunities on how to help out!
Posted by April Green
June 18th, 2008
Every year, thousands of pieces of legislation come before the Illinois General Assembly. It is no easy task to sift through all the bills and determine which might impact your family. That’s why I have identified three bills from this legislative session that every Illinois mom should know about: SB 2091, SB 1900 and HB 2769.
All three bills await a final vote before they can be sent to the governor for his signature. Hopefully, legislators will have the opportunity to cast their votes for these pieces of legislation when they return to Springfield for the fall veto session.
#1. Protecting Children from Teacher Misconduct
According to an investigation conducted by the Small Newspaper Group last January, Illinois is ranked 49th in suspending and revoking teacher’s certificates for misconduct. DCFS has received 3,871 credible complaints on this issue but not one resulted in a suspension or revocation of a teaching certificate.
Senate Bill 2091 strengthens the state’s procedures for suspending and revoking teaching certificates when an educator has grossly failed to perform their duties or has committed a crime that places students in jeopardy. The State Teacher Certification Board will become the final decision-maker on suspensions and revocations of teaching certificates. The bill also requires the State’s Attorney to notify the State Superintendent of Schools if there is reasonable cause to believe an educator has committed an act of abuse or neglect.
#2. Insurance Coverage for Children with Autism
Senate Bill 1900, would require Illinois health insurance companies to provide coverage for autism spectrum disorder. Currently, insurance providers are not required to provide the important coverage. This legislation requires insurers to provide extended autism coverage for children up to age 21, with a maximum of $36,000 per year. Insurance coverage would include the following care: psychiatric, psychological, therapeutic, pharmacy, and other treatments and programs related to autism.
The bill does not limit the amount of visits to an autism care provider. Insurers would also be required to consider autism the same as any other physical illness, charging the same co-payments or deductibles.
#3. Sex Offender Registration Reform
House Bill 2769 makes changes under the Sex Offender Registration Act to be in compliance with the Federal Adam Walsh Act. It enhances the current registration system by providing a 3-tiered registration system that would require sex offenders (defined as sexually dangerous persons, sexually violent persons, or sexual predators) convicted of certain enumerated crimes to register for life. Other less serious crimes could result in a 15-year or 10-year, registration period.
Post your opinions on these bills or contact your state legislator and let them know what you think. Find your legislator.
June 9th, 2008
When Women’s Voices Illinois was started last year, the founders of WVI used this blog to keep readers posted on their statewide efforts to reach out to Illinois women and listen to what political issues were on their minds. They soon discovered that women have a lot to say about politics – if someone would just listen. That’s what Women’s Voices Illinois is doing and continues to do as we work to engage more women in the political process.
As WVI traveled across our state, women also sent a clear message that paying attention to politics can be frustrating. We want to be informed and engaged – but when there are so many other demands on our time, we tend to tune out all the news about “politics as usual.”
Whether you’re a young professional trying to find a way to stretch a starting salary to pay your rent and student loans, fill up your gas tank, and build a credit rating - or a mom trying to stay on top of your kids’ schedules, take care of loved ones, and balance a family budget – you’re not interested in political posturing, you just want to know how the decisions legislators make impact you.
The founders of WVI took this feedback to heart after their listening tour and decided to turn this blog into a tool to communicate with women on politics in a way that is relevant, accessible, and engaging to someone who has more on their mind than the latest floor vote in Illinois General Assembly. They realized that to engage more women in politics, we have to redefine what it means to be “political.” That’s where I come in.
As a woman who has always felt strongly about having a voice in the political process, I got involved in WVI so I could get more women to do the same. Since I’m not a legislator, the founders of WVI have asked me to take charge of the blog and turn it into something unique – a political blog for women who aren’t.
I’ll be posting several times a week on the WVI blog about how political decisions can impact Illinois women, and, more importantly, how Illinois women can impact political decisions. It is WVI’s hope that with each post readers will view politics less as a source of frustration and more as an avenue through which every woman can make a difference.
Communication is a two-way street so for this blog to be a success please voice in with your opinions. Tell me what you like, what you don’t, what you want to read more of, what you never want to read again, when you think I have a point, and when you think I’m totally off base. I hope you’ll take advantage of this unique opportunity to have a candid conversation about the issues that matter most to you and redefine what it means be “political” for Illinois women.
Happy reading!
Posted by April Green
May 26th, 2008