Census Bureau estimates Asian Americans as fastest growing demographic in the state

CHICAGO– Reacting to news that the Census Bureau has identified Asian Americans from countries like India and China as the fastest growing demographic group in Illinois, State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) vowed to continue to vigorously support Asian Americans, both recent immigrants and those who have been here for generations.

“We need to ensure Asian Americans have access to all of the same state services as other Illinois residents,” said Villivalam, the first Asian American elected to the Illinois Senate and the Co-Chair of the Illinois General Assembly’s Asian American Caucus. “Making sure documents and websites are available in Asian languages is an important first step, and one that I’ve been pushing especially hard during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

According to the Census Bureau, Illinois’ Asian American population has increased by 24% since 2010, with Asian Americans now making up 5.7% of the people in the state.

“People who come from Asian cultures are helping increase the diversity and vibrancy of American culture,” Villivalam said. “The days of Asian Americans only living on Devon Ave., in Chinatown and in other nationality-based enclaves are over. Now, you see temples, shrines, mosques, and restaurants serving food from across the Asian continent in cities big and small.”

Villivalam vowed to use his position as the first Asian American elected the Illinois Senate to help educate his colleagues about the Asian American community and to help bring the community’s long-unrepresented perspective to all levels of Illinois government. Since joining the Senate, he has helped steer additional funding to support the Asian American community’s infrastructure needs by facilitating the creation of a Pan Asian American Community Center and an Asian American Chamber of Commerce, passed a law creating the Asian American Family Commission, and sponsored other measures targeted at the unique needs of Asian Americans and Asian immigrants.

Villivalam also views the announcement that Asian Americans are the fastest growing group in Illinois as a reminder of how important it is to fill out the census.

“If the Asian American community wants to have the representation it deserves in government and its fair share of federal resources, we all need to fill out the census,” Villivalam said.

CHICAGO — State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) is encouraging everyone who may have have had a change in their finances after four months of the COVID-19 crisis to take advantage of the available free credit reporting websites.  

“When the pandemic hit, many people suddenly lost their jobs or experienced other income loss, placing an unanticipated burden on their finances and potentially affecting their credit scores,” Villivalam said. “It’s important for everyone to be aware of their credit score due to the impact that bad credit can have on a person’s financial future.” 

As Illinois slowly recovers from the economic devastation caused by the pandemic, Villivalam is urging everyone to double check their credit scores and to know where their finances stand. Everyone is eligible to receive their weekly credit report for free through Equifax, Experian and TransUnion until April 2021. For more information, please visit www.AnnualCreditReport.com. 

“Managing your finances is stressful, yet this free service to check your credit score will at least provide a baseline for where you stand,” Villivalam said.  

CHICAGO – As temperatures continue to rise, Illinois State Senate Transportation Chair Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) is urging drivers to be cautious of potential pavement buckling on roads due to the hot and humid weather. 

“During the summer we often worry about staying hydrated and reapplying sunscreen,” Villivalam said. “Oftentimes we forget that extreme heat can also cause the road pavement to crack and break which can create dangerous driving conditions.” 

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, pavement failures or blowouts can occur when prolonged high temperatures cause roads to expand and buckle up or blow out, resulting in uneven driving surfaces. Precipitation and humidity can also increase the potential for buckling.

“To ensure road safety this summer, I urge everyone to be cognizant of road conditions and construction workers while traveling and to report any issues immediately,” Villivalam said. 

Pavement failures should be reported to IDOT by calling 800-452-4368 or by calling 911.

CHICAGO – State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) is urging residents to take advantage of a new initiative announced by the Illinois Tollway this summer. TOLLING 2020 is a new tolling reform package that will significantly reduce the costs of unpaid toll fees.

“Thanks to this relief period, motorists who have been unable to pay outstanding fees due to COVID-19 will be able to catch up,” Villivalam said. “I believe customers will save under the new invoice process and violation relief.”  

For the remainder of 2020, the Tollway is reducing all outstanding violations with the Illinois Tollway, and all existing $20 and $50 fines per toll will also be reduced to $3 per toll, providing an opportunity for relief to thousands of motorists. Any unpaid tolls that occurred between March 9 and June 25 during the Stay at Home Order will not incur additional fines or fees.

Here are some important takeaways for customers under this new program:

• As always, customers can continue to avoid fees completely for at least 14 days by paying online.
• Vehicle owners who fail to pay a toll will now initially face a notice with a $3 invoice fee for each unpaid toll rather than a notice with a $20 violation fine, an 85%reduction. (Currently, a $20 fine is assessed for each unpaid toll if left unpaid. That penalty escalates by another $50 if the notice remains unpaid for an additional 60 days.)
• Customers looking to take advantage of the significant reduction in fines can visit the Tollway’s website to review and pay their updated balances through the end of the year, even if they were previously at collections. (No special arrangements are necessary.)
• Customers with unpaid tolls during the COVID-19 period will receive an invoice for their unpaid tolls only and are able to pay those tolls online as well. 

The Illinois Tollway is still operating all-electronic toll collection to prevent the spread of COVID-19, so tolls should still be paid online to avoid any fines and fees. Anyone who wants to learn more about the program, or how to pay unpaid tolls and violations, should visit the Illinois Tollway’s website at www.illinoistollway.com.