New Online Tool Empowers Public to Take Action to Rescue Medicaid and Pension Systems

SPRINGFIELD- May 16, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today announced SaveOurState.Illinois.gov, a new resource to empower the people of Illinois to help restore fiscal stability to our state.  This new online tool provides helpful background on the state's Medicaid and pension challenges, details about the governor's proposed solutions, and the latest media reports on these issues.  In addition, SaveOurState.Illinois.gov helps citizens take action by directing them to contact information for their local legislators.

"We owe it to the next generation to rise to the occasion in the next 15 days and restore fiscal stability to Illinois," Governor Quinn said. "It's important for the people of Illinois to make their voices heard like never before and urge their legislators to address these difficult challenges."

The Medicaid and pension systems currently take up 39% of state general revenue spending, and will grow to 50% next year without major reforms. Inaction could also severely limit the state's ability to fund core services like education and public safety, threaten the state's credit rating and hurt the long-term sustainability of both systems.

Governor Quinn's plan to stabilize public pensions would save taxpayers up to $85 billion, eliminate the unfunded liability over 30 years and allow public employees who have faithfully contributed to the system to continue to receive pension benefits. His Medicaid restructuring plan would create $2.7 billion in savings by cutting waste, fraud and abuse; raising the price of cigarettes by one dollar, and bringing in dollar-for-dollar federal matching funds.

For more information about the urgency of repairing Illinois' Medicaid and public pension systems and to take action, visit http://saveoursate.illinois.gov

Any and all interested parties are invited to attend

The 2012 Hilltop Campus Village Annual Meeting

at 6:30pm, on Tuesday May 15, 2012 in

The Rogalski Center of St. Ambrose University

518 W. Locust Street, Davenport, Iowa

Items of business include :

• Recognition of the Hilltop Campus Village Volunteer of the Year

• Reports of accomplishments by working committees

o   Organization,

o   Design,

o   Economic Restructuring and

o   Promotion

• Election of Board officers for the coming year

• A presentation by St. Ambrose University students on their study of the Hilltop Campus Village

• A glimpse of the future for Our Village with your Director as your guide

• Remarks by guests from the Main Street Iowa program

This meeting is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

The Hilltop Campus Village Corporation is a 501c3 not for profit organization. The Board of Directors hopes that you, as a person interested in the revitalization of the area, will be able to attend.

Welcome Secretary LaHood and Urge Further Movement Toward Construction

Washington, D.C. - The very day that United States Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood is viewing the I-74 Bridge at the invitation of Congressmen Dave Loebsack (IA-02) and Bobby Schilling (IL-17), it became public that Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has instructed the Illinois Department of Transportation to devote $22 million in FY2017 and $50 million in FY2018 for the I-74 Bridge.

This follows the Iowa Department of Transportation's announcement from earlier this week about its intent to continue moving forward on planning and acquisition funding but take I-74 Bridge construction funds out of its long-term plans as a result of a lack of construction commitment from ILDOT. The Illinois Department of Transportation had previously announced April 30 had allocated minimal funds for the project.  Loebsack and Schilling also wrote members of the House and Senate negotiating a comprehensive highway bill urging them to prioritize funding for large interstate projects such as the I-74 Bridge.

"We are pleased that the state of Illinois is joining the Quad Cities team, and the Iowa DOT, and is working to move this project forward," the Congressmen said.  "Though it doesn't appear to be on the same timeline as was previously planned for, it's a step in the right direction.  We encourage the Iowa and Illinois Departments of Transportation to ensure they are moving forward on the same timeline so the groundwork is laid for this project to move to construction, and work with us to advance the I-74 Bridge."

Previously, Loebsack has met with representatives from the Iowa DOT about the importance of the I-74 Bridge and has urged the IADOT to preserve construction funding for I-74.  He has also expressed the need to replace the bridge to Secretary LaHood and Speaker of the House John Boehner, as well as urged the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to take action.

Schilling had previously pushed the Illinois Department of Transportation for information as to where on the Department's priority list the I-74 Bridge project resides and the criteria being used to prioritize Illinois' infrastructure needs, noting that "projects totaling millions of dollars around the state, especially in the Chicago area, continue to be funded" which "suggests the state is capable of moving forward on projects it deems a priority."

In 2005, the I-74 Bridge became the most traveled bridge in the Quad Cities with an average of 77,800 vehicles crossing daily.  This is despite the fact that it was built for 48,000 such crossings.  The Bridge itself is functionally obsolete, however, and has never met Interstate standards.  In addition to improving travelers' safety, the I-74 Bridge project would spur economic growth, create construction jobs, reduce traffic backups, and improve air quality.

"These are the results we can achieve when we work together and bring attention to important issues for the Quad Cities and this development should allow Illinois to be ready to move to construction at the same time as Iowa when funding becomes available," Loebsack and Schilling said.  "We will continue to work for results and make sure folks in our state capitals and Washington don't overlook the voice of our region and Congress advances on a long-term transportation bill that will help move construction forward."

Legislation does not authorize BRAC; Requires DOD to develop strategy for industrial bases

Washington, D.C. - Congressmen Dave Loebsack (IA-02) and Bobby Schilling (IL-17) announced today that the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act does not authorize additional rounds of Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) in either FY 2013 or FY 2015 as had been called for by the Department of Defense (DOD).  The Congressmen also were successful in adding a provision to the committee report that directs the DOD to identify the critical manufacturing capabilities provided by arsenals and determine the amount of work that is required to maintain them in peacetime.

"One of the greatest assets provided by the arsenals is an ability to readily surge manufacturing capacity and to quickly and efficiently manufacture needed items.  That capability has proven essential time and again to our ability to supply our troops rapidly with the equipment they need.  It is essential that the arsenals maintain the ability to respond to a national security emergency and that we maintain our ability to rapidly equip our troops for a future contingency," said Loebsack. "I strongly question the wisdom of BRAC rounds at this time and their impact on our national security.  I was proud to vote to ensure they were not included in this bill and to work with Congressman Schilling on these provisions."

"Arsenals like ours in Rock Island have repeatedly proven their worth to our national security over the years," Schilling said. "I'm pleased that we are building this year on our successes of last year, and also pleased that this defense bill does not include any BRAC-authorizing language.  It is absolutely critical to keep the industrial base warm and ready in order to secure its future, and I appreciate the opportunity to work with Congressman Loebsack in protecting the interests of the Quad Cities and the Rock Island Arsenal.  I am hopeful that our colleagues in the Senate will work to include provisions supporting the arsenal in their defense package, and that they will support the final package when it comes before them for a vote."

The Department of Defense's FY 2013 budget request included a request for authorization to carry out two rounds of BRAC - one in FY 2013 and one in FY 2015.  The House Armed Services Committee's FY2013 National Defense Authorization Act explicitly prohibits the use of funds for a BRAC in FY 2013 and does not authorize BRAC in FY 2015, helping reassure Rock Island Arsenal's employees that there is not Congressional support for the BRAC process to move forward.

The language Congressmen Loebsack and Schilling included will help ensure DOD recognizes the critical manufacturing work done at facilities like the Rock Island Arsenal, and reviews how to maintain those skills and therefore the people who do the work.  By requiring arsenals' manufacturing capabilities to be part of the national security strategy, the Congressmen worked to push the DOD to review and recognize arsenals as a critical part of our national security.