Senator Napoleon Harris (D-Harvey) tells the story of his grandfather returning home after serving in the Vietnam War. African-American soldiers were often treated as second class citizens even after putting their lives on the line to fight for our country. The prejudice these veterans endured showed that while their lives were expendable in the name of freedom, they were not equals in America.

SPRINGFIELD - In response to Governor Rauner’s Budget Address, Senator Napoleon Harris III (D-Harvey) released the following statement:

“I agree with the governor that we need to prioritize our spending in areas like education, social services and infrastructure. What I don’t agree with is saying we want to invest more in these areas while cutting essential services.

My concern is that the governor’s plan will lead to property tax increases and will do nothing to better serve our children. I hope we can continue to look at this spending plan and get to a place where our most vulnerable populations aren’t taking devastating service cuts and our children’s education is improving.”