CARBONDALE, Ill. --聽Governor JB Pritzker made stops in southern Illinois on Thursday, including Mt. Vernon, Carbondale and Fairfield.
While he was in the area, he visited SIU in Carbondale to continue his statewide tour highlighting investments in the FY24 budget.
Pritzker's office said this budget builds on four years of historic fiscal progress. This includes eight credit rating upgrades, a 鈥渞ainy day fund鈥� set to surpass $2 billion, the elimination of the bill backlog, and $1 trillion in GDP.
Pritzker was joined by Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton, Sen. Dale Fowler and other state and local officials in talking about the budget.
Pritzker said the new聽budget includes a $100 million increase for public universities, ($80.5 million) and community colleges ($19.4 million)This is the highest increase in more than 20 years.
鈥淚鈥檓 proud to announce our new state budget officially contains the largest percentile and dollar increase for in-state higher education in more than 20 years,鈥� said Governor JB Pritzker. 鈥淎nd as we work to make a four-year program available to everyone, we鈥檙e also recognizing a four-year program is just one path. Community college, apprenticeship programs, building skills and heading straight into the workforce 鈥� all of these options, together, shape the world of opportunity, and Illinois is putting itself in the center of it.鈥�
鈥淓ducation is at the core of Illinois鈥� future, and it is our duty as state leaders to ensure institutions have the support and resources to take us even further,鈥� said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. 鈥淭his state budget is a major re-commitment to this mission. We are not only making history through our investments in higher education, but also shining a light on the power and potential that is cultivated in campuses and programs throughout Illinois."
Pritzker said the FY24 budget agreement also makes college more affordable for Illinois students.
He said the additional $100 million in MAP Grant funding, everyone at or below the median income can go to community college for free.
"This, along with a $15 million increase in funding for the AIM High merit-based scholarship, will make higher education more attainable for students across the state," Pritzker's office detailed in a statement.
鈥淔unding for higher education fuels our future by supporting student education and well-being, empowering the exceptional staff at Southern Illinois University, and fostering economic prosperity,鈥� said Carolin Harvey, mayor of Carbondale. 鈥淎s an economic engine for the region, SIUC attracts students from around the globe who contribute to the local economy through spending on housing, groceries, and essential goods and services.鈥�
鈥淥ur colleges and universities are incredibly important not only to the success of our students but to the regions and communities they call home. I鈥檓 glad to see a continued commitment in making sure our higher education institutions are best equipped to provide the best education possible to our future workforce,鈥� said Senator Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg). 鈥淏y investing in our education sector, we are investing in students who will develop and bring new skills to the table for several years to come.鈥�
After Carbondale, Pritzker went to聽Fairfield, Illinois. He聽visited Kiddie Kollege, a high-quality early childhood education and childcare facility.
There he highlighted investments in early childhood education and care including the Smart Start Illinois plan. That plan invests $250 million to eliminate preschool deserts, stabilize the childcare workforce, expand early intervention and home visiting programs, and provides funding to begin the overhaul of the childcare payment management system, Pritzker's office detailed.
鈥淚鈥檓 proud to say that our latest balanced budget focuses on setting our kids up for success from their earliest moments,鈥� said Governor JB Pritzker. 鈥淲orking with the General Assembly, my administration has overseen the largest early childhood investments in the history of our state, starting with $1 billion to childcare providers to stabilize and grow capacity for quality childcare.鈥�
"Along with the Smart Start Illinois Plan, the FY24 budget includes $1.6 million to launch Dolly Parton鈥檚 Imagination Library statewide. This initiative includes a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter a family鈥檚 income," Pritzker's office said in a statement.
