Dear Constituent:

Thank you for contacting my office and expressing your concern about my recent vote for pension reform.

This was one of the toughest decisions I have made this year, if not in my career. Please know that I took the time to think through this decision, weighed all options and finally decided to vote for pension reform for the following reasons:

• Funding for health care, mental health, public housing, child care and the homeless are targeted when the state cannot balance the budget. As the Chair of the Illinois Senate Human Services Committee, I could no longer, in good conscience, watch social and human services suffer cuts in the name of balancing the budget.

• I have stood by teachers, state employees and unions from the time I entered office. I have voted in favor of most measures aimed toward helping those affected by pension reform.

• This problem has been decades in the making and is the result of the state not putting enough money into the pension systems. I opposed previous plans because they took too much away from workers and retirees to make up for the state’s inaction. The plan I supported includes nearly $30 billion in added state funding for worker pensions. I supported this compromise because it puts the burden on the state, where it belongs.

• Unions representing public employees have already threatened legal action if the governor signs this bill. If that happens, the Supreme Court ultimately will decide whether the bill is constitutional. We can revisit SB 2404 if it is struck down, which I believe is much fairer and passes constitutional muster.

I understand your frustration with the system, with my vote and with the situation that Illinois is facing. We would have faced a $2.4 billion shortfall in the next budget if we didn’t act on the pension changes. My vote was to stop the bleeding.

Thank you for being engaged in this issue.

Sincerely,

Senator Mattie Hunter, a Chicago Democrat, will join fellow State Senators Emil Jones, III, and Napoleon Harris and Representative Ken Dunkin for a holiday senior luncheon. They are partnering with the Institute of Positive Living to honor Red Hatters, retired nurses and teachers on Friday December 13th at the Chicago Hyatt Regency Hotel.

The event will include Chicagoan Vanessa Holmes performing A Tribute to the Motown Greats. Guests can dance to the sounds of Martha & the Vandellas, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and Stevie Wonder. Mom’s MAYBE, Mr. Taps and line dancers will round out the entertainment.

Majority Caucus Whip State Sen. Mattie Hunter released the following statement in response to the governor’s recent decision to sign law regulating hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” in Illinois:

“I continue to stand in complete opposition to policy regulating ‘fracking’ in Illinois. Early on this past session I presented legislation establishing a moratorium to keep anyone from conducting high-volume hydraulic fracturing in our state and putting a task force in place to make sure we take enough time to thoroughly consider this critical issue.

I still believe we should establish a moratorium and task force to gain greater understanding of how ‘fracking’ will affect Illinois’ drinking water and environment. Water safety is extremely important for our communities and state, which is why I continue to maintain that there should be more time permitted to truly evaluate the consequences of ‘fracking.’

Majority Caucus Whip State Sen. Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) was recently inducted as a member of the Jackson State University National Alumni Hall of Fame.

A 1982 graduate with a Master’s Degree in Sociology, Hunter expressed her sincere gratitude for the recognition by her alma mater.

“I am truly appreciative that Jackson State has chosen to induct me into their National Alumni Hall of Fame this year,” Hunter said. “I am proud to carry on and form part of the rich legacy of academic and career excellence of this exceptional Historically Black College and University.”  

The fourth largest state-supported higher education institution and the largest HBCU in Mississippi, Jackson State University was founded in 1877 by the American Baptist Home Mission Society. Jackson State ranks number one nationwide in respect to federally funded research among HBCUs.