Save Niles Library legislation moves to governor

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation to resolve an ongoing stalemate at the Niles-Maine District Library Board advanced from the Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday, thanks to advocacy from State Senators Laura Murphy and Ram Villivalam, and State Rep. Mike Kelly.

“The passing of this legislation is necessary to fill the board vacancy that has hampered services for far too long,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “It’s time for the community to have a fully functioning board that fulfills their responsibility to the community and restores the Niles-Maine District Library to the greatness previously known to the  community.”

After a former board member resigned in August 2021, the Niles-Maine District Library Board was unable fill the vacancy due to a 3-3 tie vote. A new law reforming the appointment process was signed by the governor in the spring, which gave the Secretary of State authority to appoint a replacement under his role as State Librarian if a library board could not fill a vacancy within 90 days.

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Villivalam: Local schools to receive more than $25 million in new funding

­CHICAGO – State Senator Ram Villivalam announced that school districts across the 8^th District will receive more than $25 million in additional funding to help address the financial challenges of recent years.

“An investment in our schools is an investment in our youth and our future,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “This new funding will help to build a better learning environment for our students and offer them more opportunities to succeed.”

The funding comes from the 2017 Illinois Senate Democrat-backed evidence-based funding formula – an overhaul of the way the state funds K-12 education. The law made school funding more equitable by calculating the needs of individual school districts and basing its state revenue on those needs. The formula takes into account a district’s total enrollment, poverty rate, the number of special education or English language learners, among other factors.

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Niles receives $1.8 million to revitalize Civic Center Plaza thanks to Villivalam support

CHICAGO – Thanks to support from State Senator Ram Villivalam, the Village of Niles will receive a $1.8 million investment as part of the Rebuild Illinois Downtowns and Main Streets program.

“Local business districts are what make our area a great place to live and work,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Investing in our small business community will help to build an equitable recovery from the pandemic, create jobs and grow a stronger local economy.”

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Villivalam: Data-driven improvements coming to Illinois transportation network

SPRINGFIELD – Thanks to a law passed by State Senator Ram Villivalam, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced today the implementation of their Multi Year Plan – a six-year plan to rebuild Illinois’ infrastructure using new, equity-based metrics.

"With this investment, Illinois is working toward its commitment to delivering equitable, data-driven solutions to our transportation and infrastructure needs," said Villivalam (D-Chicago). "Coupled with federal funding, we will improve our infrastructure to ensure safety, accessibility, and responsible economic and environmental impact."

The six-year plan will include $34.6 billion in state and federal funds, with nearly $3 billion dedicated to new projects. For the first time, under the law passed by Senator Villivalam, road projects were evaluated by metrics that include impacts on economic development, livability for those in the community where a project is underway, environmental impact, accessibility, and increased benefits and reduced harms to underserved communities.