Investing in education is key to job creation
SPRINGFIELD - Jan. 29, 2014. Lt. Governor Sheila Simon today issued the following statement in response to Governor Pat Quinn`s 2014 State of the State address.
"Illinois has come a long way over the last five years, and today Governor Quinn laid out a plan that will keep our state moving forward for years to come.
"I appreciate the governor`s commitment to strengthening our economy by investing in education and the jobs of the future. We need to put our students on the path to success early, which means equity in funding and making sure students can afford college degrees.
"Right now, our rural and low-income schools are losing out to those with more resources. We need to change the current school funding formula to promote equity across the K-12 system and increase MAP scholarships to make sure more students can complete college. I will continue working with Governor Quinn and the legislature to make sure that public education in Illinois means opportunity, no matter what zip code you live in.
"We should heed the calls of President Obama and Governor Quinn, and pursue a fair minimum wage. It is important to remember that many who are doing some of our hardest jobs and raising families are minimum wage earners.
"We have difficult decisions to make in the coming months, but we need to invest now or find ourselves playing catch-up down the road. I am committed to working with Governor Quinn, legislative leaders and members of the General Assembly to make our state an even better place to live and work."
Simon serves as the state's point person on education reform. In this capacity, Simon is working to increase the proportion of working-age adults with college degrees or certificates to 60 percent by 2025. As chair of the 25-member Governor's Rural Affairs Council, Simon is also working to improve the delivery of state services and education opportunities to rural Illinois.
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