SPRINGFIELD- Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) reacted with the following to Governor Bruce Rauner's State of the State address:

"I believe the governor should have told the truth. He talked about a lot of our past history, Gwendolyn Brooks. We can't have another Gwendolyn Brooks if we're not providing higher education opportunitites, if we're not funding MAP grants as we should. We know that MAP grants help fund low income students and helps bridge that gap to keep them in school. And if we continue to neglect these things there will be no inventions of the Twinkie.

I think he made fun of the conditions that we're in today, and it's sad. It's sad that our leader is not governing as he should and he continues to pass the buck on everyone else. I feel like a lot of it was just untrue."

Following the governor’s annual State of the State address, the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus assembled for a press conference to discuss the reality of life for many individuals within the black community.

During today’s address, the governor deliberately omitted speaking on many of the struggles that face black and brown Illinoisans today. The caucus says opportunities for advancement are scarce and youth and senior services are being decimated.

Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood), who also chairs the joint Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, delivered a clear message:

“The governor did not acknowledge the billions of dollars we’re in debt due to his lack of governing. Today he said he would deliver a balanced budget but did not acknowledge all the cuts he would have to make in order to have a balanced budget unless there is additional revenue created.”  

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