Through careful management and smart planning, I’ve worked to turn the $17 billion in debt Bruce Rauner saddled us with into a $1.7 billion surplus, and continue to improve the state’s credit rating – something that hadn’t happened in decades.
Now, we need to seize this opportunity to deliver on what middle-class families need most:
SAFER NEIGHBORHOODS
We need a comprehensive approach to reducing violent crime and gun violence. That’s why I worked to pass common sense gun safety laws like universal background checks to keep guns out of the wrong hands, and I’m attacking the root causes of violence by investing in youth violence prevention, mental health care, and addiction treatment.
RELIEF FROM RISING COSTS
The best way to combat inflation is to put more money into the pockets of working families. That’s why I’m fighting to cut the cost of living and target property tax relief for middle-class families. We can also deliver higher wages that keep up with inflation, infrastructure investment to strengthen our supply chain and reduce inflation, and more affordable health care, childcare, and education for our families.
STRONGER SCHOOLS
Every child deserves a world-class education. I served for 12 years on the Proviso Township High School Board of Education and led the effort to establish the nationally recognized Proviso Math and Science Academy. Now, I’m fighting to strengthen funding for local public schools, lower class sizes, and raise teacher pay.
AN ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE
Illinois’ economy has a serious shortage of workers for jobs paying $35 an hour or more – such as welders, electricians, and carpenters. That’s why I’m investing in vocational education and career training and working to expand access to apprenticeships to help prepare the next generation for high-wage jobs in our community.
EQUITABLE WORKPLACES
I’ve fought to crack down on the unfair practices big businesses use to lock women into a lifetime of lower pay. It’s time for equal pay for equal work, paid family leave and sick leave, affordable childcare for working families.
AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE
I am standing up to extreme Washington politicians who would strip health care from millions of Illinois residents. I opposed Donald Trump's extreme health care cuts, and I passed state-level protections prohibiting insurance companies from denying care to people with pre-existing conditions, and blocking double-digit premium increases.
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
While extreme politicians are threatening reproductive rights, I’m moving Illinois in a fundamentally better direction. I worked to protect the right to choose in Illinois, no matter what the courts and extreme politicians in Washington do, and I’m fighting to strengthen access to critical women’s health services like birth control and cancer screenings.
