Illinois General Assembly --

Representative Bassi Responds to Governor’s State of State Address, Receives Committee Assignments

Springfield (February 3, 2005) – Responding to Governor’s Rod Blagojevich’s State of the State address today, State Representative Suzanne “Suzie” Bassi (R-Palatine) said she wished the Governor’s speech had been more in touch with what she is seeing in the 54^th District regarding the state’s ongoing fiscal crisis.  Governor Blagojevich presented his address to a joint session of the House and Senate Thursday.

“As we face another huge deficit this year, I know we will again be forced to make some hard choices this spring,” Bassi said.  “However, the Governor’s ‘successes’ that he touted in his speech are not in line with the numbers we have been given.  Our state agencies are in crisis, his expensive prescription drug program only warranted 1300 participants, and dramatic increases in the state’s pension and Medicaid obligations far outweigh the $325 million estimated increase in new general revenue.  I hope his budget plan doesn’t impose additional fees and taxes on local employers again – they can’t take another 50 new business fees and taxes.”

 She added, “However, I was pleased to see that Governor Blagojevich is focused on finding new ways to bring jobs to Illinois and that he is finally addressing our worsening health care availability crisis this spring.  We must act immediately to ensure our families have access to quality care.”

Representative Bassi also received her committee assignments this week.  She was appointed as Spokesperson to the Appropriations for Elementary & Secondary Education and Tourism & Conventions Committees.  In addition, Bassi was also named to the Mass Transit, Elementary & Secondary Education, and Housing & Urban Development Committees.

“Fortunately, these committee assignments reflect my main priorities – education, tourism, and transit,” she said.  “Unfortunately those of us on the Education Appropriations committee have not been given any numbers from the new State Board of Education, which worries me.  But as always, I will continue to work very hard to protect vital funding for our schools and I am looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead of us this session.”

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