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With Anger Rising over the State's Fiscal Crisis, AARP Illinois Urges Voters to Take Action at the Polls
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(76 seconds)
-- How Will You Use This Story? --
(OPEN):
ACCORDING TO THE LATEST SURVEY FROM
"A-A-R-P ILLINOIS", THREE-IN-FOUR VOTERS BELIEVE THAT THIS
YEAR'S BUDGET-DEAL WON'T ADDRESS THE STATE'S FISCAL-CRISIS. AND, AS
"ELECTION DAY" NEARS, THE ORGANIZATION'S RYAN GRUENENFELDER URGES VOTERS TO TAKE ACTION, AT THE
POLLS...
(GRUENENFELDER):
"THE CURRENT BUDGET
HASN'T PAID THE STATE'S UNPAID BILLS; DOES LITTLE TO ADDRESS THE STAGGERING LONG-TERM DEBT; AND
DOESN'T EVEN BALANCE INCOME AND SPENDING, AS IT'S CONSTITUTIONALLY REQUIRED TO DO.
NO WONDER [THAT] TWO-THIRDS OF THE VOTERS IN OUR SURVEY ARE EITHER 'ANGRY' OR
'EXTREMELY ANGRY' ABOUT THE CRISIS--OR THAT ALMOST HALF OF THEM HAVE CONSIDERED FLEEING THE STATE.
ILLINOIS IS STILL AT RISK OF BECOMING AMERICA'S FIRST 'FAILED STATE'--AND NO STATE CAN ACHIEVE LONG-TERM PROSPERITY AND STABILITY, IF ITS CITIZENS LOSE CONFIDENCE IN ITS FUTURE.
ALL CANDIDATES SHOULD MAKE CLEAR EXACTLY HOW THEY'D COMPREHENSIVELY RESOLVE THE
CRISIS--OVER THE LONG TERM--IN ORDER TO FIX ILLINOIS' FISCAL-HEALTH. BUT, ILLINOISANS MUST ALSO SUMMON
PATIENCE--AS REAL STABILITY REQUIRES MANY LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS, INSTEAD OF A SINGLE
'MAGIC BULLET'. INDEED, MOST OF OUR RESPONDENTS BELIEVE THAT THE STATE NEEDS BOTH MORE REVENUE AND REDUCTIONS IN SPENDING.
STILL, THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT IS LEADERSHIP--AND IT'S TIME FOR THOSE WHO ASK US TO TRUST THEM WITH GREAT POWER TO PROVE THAT
THEY'RE WORTHY OF IT."
(CLOSE):
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT "ENOUGH-IS-ENOUGH"-DOT-"A-A-R-P"-DOT-ORG.
