I hope you enjoyed the weekend. This week brings several new reports and developments that are worth your attention.
This week’s topics include:
- District 53 Highlight: Bill Sherfey Turns 100
- Join Team Balkema! Hiring Interns
- Paxton Celebrating an $850,000 Investment
- Successful Senior Fair in Pontiac
- Illinois Flash Index Shows Slower Growth
- Meeting with the Center for Youth and Family Solutions
- Supporting Local Business at Eureka Locker
- Every Illinois Student Deserves a Fair Opportunity
District 53 Highlight: Bill Sherfey Turns 100
I want to extend my congratulations to Bill Sherfey, a former resident of the 53rd District, on celebrating his 100th birthday! Reaching this incredible milestone is a testament to a life well lived, and it’s an achievement worth celebrating.
Happy 100th birthday, Bill! Wishing you continued health, happiness, and many wonderful memories with family and friends.
To nominate a person, group, organization, business, or community effort deserving of recognition in the 53rd Senate District visit www.senatorchrisbalkema.com/highlight-district-53/
Join Team Balkema! Hiring Interns
I’m excited to announce that my district office is hiring two interns to join our team!
We’re looking for individuals who are eager to learn, passionate about serving their community, and interested in gaining hands-on experience in state government.
Our Communications & Content Creator Intern will help tell the story of our work through engaging social media content, graphics, photography, and short-form videos. If you’re creative, enjoy making videos, and know how to connect with people through digital media, we’d love to hear from you.
Our Research & Legislative Support Intern will assist with legislative and policy research, track bills, prepare briefing materials, and support constituent services, providing valuable experience in the legislative process and public service.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to make a difference while building real-world experience, I encourage you to apply. I look forward to welcoming the next generation of leaders to our team!
Click here to learn more and apply to these positions.
Successful Senior Fair in Pontiac
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Senior Expo in Pontiac! It was great to see so many seniors, caregivers, and community members come together to connect with local organizations, healthcare providers, and resources available throughout our district.
I appreciate State Representative Jason Bunting, State Representative Dennis Tipsword, and all of the community partners who helped make this event a success. Providing opportunities like this helps ensure our seniors and their families have access to the information and services they need.
Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make this a valuable day for our community!
Paxton Celebrating an $850,000 Investment
I was pleased to have my Chief of Staff represent my office at today’s check presentation in Paxton celebrating an $850,000 investment to support improvements to the 100 block of South Market Street.
Congratulations to the City of Paxton on this exciting milestone, and thank you to Congresswoman Robin Kelly for helping secure this investment. Revitalizing our downtowns strengthens local businesses, creates new opportunities, and helps ensure our communities continue to thrive for years to come.
Illinois Flash Index Shows Slower Growth
Illinois’ latest Flash Index slipped slightly from 101.4 in June to 101.2 in July. While the index remains above 100, meaning our economy is still growing, the report shows that growth continues to slow.
There were some encouraging signs, including strong consumer spending, but declining income tax receipts and a higher unemployment rate than the national average remind us that challenges remain. I’ll continue following these economic trends and supporting policies that encourage investment, create jobs, and make Illinois a more affordable place to live, work, and do business.
Meeting with the Center for Youth and Family Solutions
I recently met with the team at the Center for Youth and Family Solutions to learn more about the important work they do to support foster children and families throughout our region. Hearing directly from those involved in foster care provided valuable insight into both the challenges foster families face and the incredible impact they have on the lives of children in need. I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about their mission and the services they provide in our communities.
Supporting Local Business at Eureka Locker
I also had the opportunity to visit Eureka Locker, where owner Lori Bittner gave me a tour of the business and shared how her team processes and packages a variety of meats for customers across the area. It’s always encouraging to see a locally owned business serving our communities, and I was pleased to support their application for an expansion grant that would help them continue to grow and better serve their customers.
Every Illinois Student Deserves a Fair Opportunity
As discussions begin ahead of the fall veto session, there are proposals to provide additional state funding specifically for Chicago Public Schools. While I support investing in education, I believe any new funding should be distributed through Illinois’ Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) formula, not through special carveouts for a single district.
The EBF formula was created to ensure state education dollars are allocated based on student need and to give every community a fair opportunity. With limited state resources and many school districts across Illinois still waiting to reach adequate funding levels, our priority should be strengthening the formula for all schools rather than giving preferential treatment to one district.
Every student deserves access to a quality education, regardless of where they live. I’ll continue supporting policies that promote fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity for students in every corner of Illinois.
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Have a great rest of your week! If you ever need anything, please reach out to my office! We are happy to help! See locations and contacts below.
Yours truly,
Senator Chris Balkema