As the director of Circles of Learning daycare center in Rockford, Anita Rummage’s passion is providing a safe, fun place for children to play and learn while their parents work.

But the state’s historic budget crisis has stopped Anita from accepting as many children as she would wish. For the first time ever, the center doesn’t have a wait list. That’s because the eligibility requirements for the Child Care Assistance Program changed in November 2015.

Instead of accepting families whose income is at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level, the program now offers assistance to families with income at or below 162% of the poverty line. Additionally, parents who are attending school full-time to receive their undergraduate degree are no longer eligible for assistance.

Anita says several families fall into those categories and have therefore been unable to send their children to Circles of Learning. The daycare center itself has made ends meet during the crisis, being a bit more economical on purchasing supplies here and there, but Anita truly hopes the Child Care Assistance Program can be restored to the level it was before the budget crisis so she can welcome the children stuck in limbo.

State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) released the statement below following Gov. Bruce Rauner’s 2017 budget address.

“I appreciate that Governor Rauner acknowledged the bipartisan effort of my colleagues in the Senate and our work on a budget deal. I am, however, disappointed that the he did not fulfill his constitutional duty to propose a balanced budget.

“Illinois has been greatly hurt by the unprecedented budget impasse. With funding now stopped for services for our most vulnerable citizens, it is more urgent than ever that we end this stalemate.

“In the Senate, I look forward to continuing to work toward a negotiated, bipartisan budget for the first time in over two years.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) released the statement below following Gov. Bruce Rauner’s 2017 budget address.

“I appreciate the governor’s acknowledgement that the Senate has taken the lead in working toward a bipartisan budget compromise, which also contains many of the reforms he has called for in the past.

“However, weeks after state funding ended for higher education and services for our most vulnerable citizens, the governor once again failed to lay out his own plan to address the two-year budget impasse.

“In the Senate, I look forward to continuing to work toward a negotiated, bipartisan budget for the first time in over two years.”

SPRINGFIELD – Beginning on Jan. 1, law enforcement officials will have to accept cash to post bail thanks to Senate Bill 2252, which was passed earlier this year by State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford).

The idea was brought to Stadelman by Rockford-area resident Kevin Lunsford, whose teenage son was arrested for a traffic offense last year. When Lunsford arrived at the Winnebago County Juvenile Center to bail out his son, the credit card machine was broken and the county has a policy to refuse cash.

As a result, Lunsford’s son was forced to sit in the juvenile center the entire weekend – significantly longer than the law requires and at an increased cost to taxpayers.

“This new law is a prime example of a citizen getting involved when they notice a problem with their government,” Stadelman said. “Because Kevin brought this problem to my attention, we now have a common-sense solution so nobody will have to stay in custody longer than necessary because of a simple technology malfunction or a policy to refuse cash."