University to receive state funding as Illinois passes first budget in years
The Illinois House overrode Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of a state budget on Thursday. The state has its first budget since 2015.
July 6, 2017
The Illinois House overrode Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of a state budget on Thursday. Because both the Senate and House voted in favor, Illinois will have its first budget in two years.
For University students, the end of the budget stalemate means the MCORE construction will resume on Green St. Construction was put on hold July 1 due to the Illinois Department of Transportation’s inability to pay workers.
“I am deeply grateful to legislators for working overtime and making the difficult decisions on a compromise to avert the potentially dire consequences that loomed if the budget stalemate had extended through a third fiscal year,” said University President Tim Killeen in a Massmail on Thursday afternoon.
According to the Massmail, the budget will allow for:
- $300 million in funding for the second half of the 2017 fiscal year. When added to the six-month stopgap budget that ended in Dec. 2016, it provides for a full year of funding.
- $583 million in funding for the 2018 fiscal year. The amount is 10 percent less than what was granted in funding when the last budget was passed in 2015.
- $40 million in Medicaid funding that supports the University’s hospitals and clinics.
Monetary Award Program, or MAP grants, will also be funded for students for the fiscal 2017 and 2018 years.
