Return to the Latest

FY18 Budget Deal Provides First Step in Relief for Students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 6, 2017
Contact: Allie Aguilera, allie.aguilera@younginvincibles.org, 202-734-6529

FY18 Budget Deal Provides First Step in Relief for Students

Today, the Illinois House voted to override Governor Rauner’s veto of the FY18 Budget, finally ending the two-year long budget impasse in the state. Erin Steva, Midwest Director of Young Invincibles, released the following statement:

“We applaud the Illinois legislature for putting partisanship aside and finally passing a state budget. This budget will provide much needed relief to Illinoisans who have lived far too long in the uncertainty of the budget impasse. In particular, Illinois’ most at-need students will benefit, in the short term, from a critical 10 percent increase in MAP grant funding, addressing thousands of students’ fears about their financial capacity to continue their educations next year.

We hope this bipartisanship continues in the year ahead, as more is needed to fully fund higher education in a meaningful and sustainable way. Despite the desperate need to increase investment in higher education, this budget cuts funding, making it harder, not easier, for Illinois’ young people to access a high quality post-secondary education at an affordable price. If Illinois is to truly to move forward towards a promising economic future, the state must restore higher education funding to pre-recession levels.”