But a year later, responsible fiscal management has reduced that bill backlog by nearly $1 billion. We've taken enormous strides forward to undo years of financial mismanagement.įor example, the state entered 2019 with almost $8 billion in unpaid bills. Last year Republicans and Democrats alike rolled up our sleeves, worked out our differences and produced a bipartisan, balanced budget that has begun to put our state back on a sound fiscal path. It forced us to figure out how we would rebuild mental health care and schools and universities and how we would attract job creators and give working families a fighting chance.Īnd we did start to figure it out. It nearly destroyed the lives of the most vulnerable children and families in Illinois, and it left all of us with billions of dollars in unpaid bills. Our resurgence has been fueled by the very source of our historic resilience: the fundamental strength and goodness of our people, who demonstrate time and again that they can overcome any challenge that comes their way.īefore I took office, we had two long years without a state budget, longer than any other state in U.S. And once again we began attracting more students who want to go to college here, because we made college more affordable.
Today we have the lowest unemployment rate in our history. Last year we began turning our ship of state in the right direction. Because optimism demands hope, and patience, and faith.and most importantly, action. I know I have a reputation for being a bit of an irrepressible optimist - something somewhat unusual among those who have held this job recently - but I believe that the cynics had their years in power and that the people of Illinois suffered because of them.Ĭynicism, after all, demands only that you believe in the worst and do nothing to stop it from happening. My friends, not long ago I shared with you news of our state's progress over the last year and my genuine confidence that our future is bright and that Illinois is growing stronger each day. Speaker Madigan, President Harmon, Leader Durkin, Leader Brady, Lieutenant Governor Stratton, my fellow Constitutional Officers, Honorable Members of the General Assembly, the incomparable First Lady MK, distinguished guests and people of Illinois.
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