House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch and Proviso West High School are making plans for a modern sports complex on the school’s Hillside campus a reality. The $40 million investment made possible through Welch’s new state budget will create a dynamic space for student athletics and community events—uplifting the entire region and promoting local economic development.
“Traveling across our state and across the Midwest, I’ve seen how projects just like this can transform entire communities—and I’m so excited to partner with Proviso West to undertake this exciting development in our community,” Welch said. “Sitting on the border of Cook and DuPage county, this project is truly an investment in regional economic growth. A world-class sports complex on the Proviso West campus creates a multifaceted space for our student athletes as well as for youth and intramural leagues across our area. The local, regional, and statewide events this complex can attract will benefit our business community as well.”
The smart and responsible state budget Welch passed through the House last week funds infrastructure and economic development projects both small and large for communities across the state. While chaotic leadership in Washington has created an uncertain environment for states and communities that strive to be compassionate, Welch and House Democrats were determined to build a state budget that meets the needs of working families and seniors.
This was achieved by finding efficiencies to reduce the cost of government and new rules to make the wealthiest corporations pay their fair share.
In addition to projects like the Proviso West sports complex, Welch prioritized more than $300 million in funding for elementary schools and high schools across the state, and resources to help put more teachers in the classroom. New funding for the MAP Grant program will help more than 160,000 students afford college, and additional funding for career and technical education will prepare people for high-wage jobs.
Additionally, this budget expands the state’s child tax credit to provide $100 million in direct relief to modest-income families raising young children, invests in eliminating food deserts, and expands a medical debt relief program that has already cleared the old bills of more than 52,000 Illinois families.
