Working for Illinois Caucus

Controlling spending on government bureaucracy and overhead so we can devote our limited resources to the resources families need is something we can all agree on.

At both the state and federal level, politicians need to go through the budget line-by-line looking for potential efficiencies and opportunities to make targeted cuts. That’s how we make sure that taxpayer money is spent in a smart way that benefits everyone. Carefully tailoring spending to best reflect both our shared values as well as the unique needs of various groups, as well as improving government efficiency has been a priority for me in Springfield. That’s why I voted for a budget that cuts nearly $400 million in state bureaucracy, putting that money back into the pockets of working families. I took a detailed approach to cutting government spending and funding our most critical services that support education, health, and economic development.

Sadly, Washington is taking a very different approach. Extremist politicians are blindly taking a chainsaw to the services families depend on, slashing education funding alongside resources for our veterans, seniors, and more. Because these cuts are simply intended to cover the cost of expensive tax breaks for billionaires, Washington is not fixing our spending problems; in fact, they’re exploding the debt. When determining what services and resources will receive more, the same, less, or no funding, government officials should take a detailed approach to the budget to ensure that the services working families depend on aren’t cut.

One of the institutions that has been targeted by the federal government is higher education. Disagreeing with the majors, courses, and resources offered at many universities, the federal government has demanded that college and university curricula, such as those focused on education, public health, religion, and human rights, be shut down to align with the beliefs of the federal government. If universities refuse to comply, the federal government has threatened to take back federal funding, particularly research funding. This hostility has raised serious concerns about not only the future of higher education, but public health and local economies as well.

On the surface, a few among us may not like their taxes going toward the funding of colleges and universities, but these institutions use this money to fund research projects that benefit the public in more ways than many may know.

This funding has helped advance cancer and childhood cancer research, study why particular groups, such as people in rural areas, experience higher rates of certain diseases, and expand food access to those experiencing food insecurity. The research conducted by these colleges and universities has empowered Americans to tackle the issues they, their families, and their communities face. When looking to cut government spending, the federal government is overlooking the vast benefits of providing federal funding to universities, and instead is only looking at the money spent, not taking into account the critical contributions made to public health and wellness by university research.

The people harmed by the federal government’s cuts to higher education aren’t limited to just those pursuing higher education. Every community that is home to a public or private university or community college will be hurt by these cuts. In communities like Edwardsville, these institutions offer employment opportunities for members of the local community. Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville employs over 2,200 people alone. The student body represents almost 12,000 additional consumers for the local economy, supporting landlords and small businesses and spurring economic development that would otherwise go elsewhere. Cuts to higher education by the federal government are cuts to employment and economic opportunities in local communities just like ours.

Matching government spending to the priorities of taxpayers and community members is an issue many can agree on and the way a government goes about cutting spending is critical to maintaining the services so many Americans depend on. The approach taken by Washington politicians is reckless and threatens to harm Americans both directly and indirectly, gutting or even eliminating vital research and services for working families. Washington needs to take a detailed approach to cutting government spending, much like the compassionate and responsible approach my colleagues and I took to the state budget this year. Cuts need to be made the right way, and that’s why I won’t stop fighting for federal funding for the resources and services our community depend on.

State Rep. Katie Stuart represents the 112th District that includes Edwardsville and Glen Carbon. She can be reached at repkatiestuart@gmail.com.