| 1. | Contact your State Legislators to let them know how important the Nature Center and its programs are to you and your family and that you'd like to see the funding reinstated.
If you're not sure who your elected officials are or how to contact them, click HERE to go to the State of Illinois District/Official Search Page. |
| 2. | Show your support for the Nature Center by...
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House and Senate reconvene in Springfield to work on passing a budget. They may attempt to override the Governor's veto and pass their budget or go along with Governor Quinn's plan to pass an unbalanced budget now and decide later whether to cut spending or raise taxes in order to balance it.
Governor Quinn vetoes the budget leaving the State of Illinois operating without an official budget.
General Assembly passes budget and sends to Governor Quinn. This budget would fund most line items at about 50% of what Governor Quinn had proposed in his proposed budget last March.
Legislators in Springfield are working on the 2010 budget. It is not known if funding for the museum fund will be reinstated in light of the estimated $9 billion dollar deficit the state faces. The current fiscal year ends on June 30.
The legal language that requires that money to be set aside from off-track betting income is still in place (as part of the Horse Racing Act of 1975) but during the appropriations process the Legislature has the option of setting appropriations for line items at lower amounts, or even at $0, as happened in last year's budget.
Governor Quinn releases his proposed 2010 budget. The plan now goes to the General Assembly for approval or amending.
On Wednesday, July 9, 2008 Governor Blagojevich amendatorily vetoed the General Assembly’s budget bill and in doing so once again eliminated the $3 million line-item appropriation for park district museums located in areas with an existing off-track betting facility.
The General Assembly had included the museum funding in the FY 09 budget, however, it now will be necessary to fight for its restoration.
Please contact your state legislators as soon as possible and ask that they work to restore the appropriated amount when the Illinois House of Representatives returns to Springfield on Tuesday, July 15th. (The Senate is not scheduled to convene until November 12, 2008.)
HB5861 - Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee. (NOTE: this bill was introduced tas a supplemental appropriations bill to the 2008 fiscal year budget which ended on June 30. It is not clear at this point what happens to it now that the new fiscal year has begun. Check back for more information.)
SB1102 Passed by both Houses and sent to the Governor. This is the budget for fiscal year 2009 (July 1 2008-June 31 2009) and funding for the Park District Museum Fund is included.
However, the budget as passed is not balanced which will force the Governor to use his line-item veto. It remains to be seen whether or not the Museum funding will survive.
HB5861 - Second Reading - Short Debate
HB5861 - Final Action Deadline Extended-9(b) May 9, 2008
Rep. Naomi D. Jakobsson, Rep. William B. Black, Rep. Mike Bost, Rep. Esther Golar, and Rep. Bob Biggins added as co-sponsors to HB5861.
HB5861 approved by Appropriations-General Services Committee. Returns to House floor for Second Reading and Short Debate. Second Reading scheduled for Tuesday, March 11.
The General Assembly has begun debating the 2009 budget. Regional hearings will be held at which legislators will take comments from concerned citizens and agencies. See link at left for more information on these hearings.
HB5861 is referred to the Appropriations-General Services Committee. Click here to go to the status page for HB5861.
Governor Blagojovich presents his budget for the fiscal year 2009 which begins July 1st. Funding for museums and park districts is not included but the legislature will have a chance to make changes during the budget negotiation process.
Sandra M. Pihos, State Representative for the western half of Oakbrook Terrace, introduces legislation in the House that will restore the funding for all affected agencies. This is a supplemental appropriations bill for the current fiscal year which ends in June. Click here to go to the status page for the bill, known as HB5861.
Senate President Emil Jones refuses to bring the override up for a vote in the Senate. The deadline passes and the Governor's cuts beome law.
Illinois House of Representatives votes 105-4 in favor of overriding the veto and reinstating the items that were cut. Sent to Senate for consideration.
Governor enacts line-item veto which, among other items, cuts the funds allocated to the Museum Grant Fund and distributes the money to other areas. The General Assembly can potentially override the veto if there is enough support.
State budget for fiscal year 2008 (begins July 1, 2007) passes both houses of the legislature. Sent to Governor for signature.