Gov. Rauner believes great opportunities for Illinois-China relationship based on a win-win partnership

Press Release from the office of Governor Bruce Rauner

Governor Rauner Zhejiang University Photo (from Illinois.gov)

Hangzhou, China – Governor Bruce Rauner visited Zhejiang University, a globally ranked university and one of China’s oldest, most selective and most prestigious higher education institutions. He met with the University Party Secretary, Zou Xiaodong, and senior officials, toured the state-of-the-art campus and addressed the university’s international joint institution students. These students are enrolled in a program a that is collaboration between Zhejiang University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

“There are great opportunities on the horizon for the Illinois-China relationship,” said Gov. Rauner. “One that is based on a mutual win-win partnership. An example is our recent partnership between Zhejiang University and the University of Illinois Chicago campus where we will begin to offer Engineering Curriculum based degrees in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Computer Engineering here in China.”

The governor discussed his excitement for the program, and possibly expanding the partnership with more collaboration in regards to research and development. He finished by offering advice on starting a company.

“Be willing to take a risk, that’s the key to a better life,” Gov. Rauner said. “Persistence is key. You’ll have many setbacks, obstacles and barriers. Never give up.”
The governor thanked the University and added that he will continue to work with them to help find ways to connect the institutions to lay the foundation for world-class partnerships that bring together government, business and academia.

Press Release from the office of Governor Bruce Rauner

Governor Bruce Rauner today announced that the state’s Department of Human Services (IDHS) will broaden access to the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). The move fulfills an agreement made with the legislature in 2015 to raise the income eligibility criteria to 185% of the federal poverty level from 162%. It means 16,000 more children will receive child care each month, for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2018.

Rauner included the funds to boost the levels in his proposed budget and stressed that the CCAP funding decision was made to ensure that parents can continue working without worrying about how their children will be cared for. “I am proud to stand with families who are working two or three jobs just to make a living,” he said. “Many of them are already struggling, and now they’re taking an even deeper cut in their income thanks to the 32% increase in income taxes the legislature passed in July.”

Even with the massive tax hike, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget estimates the state budget is at least $1.7 billion out of balance. Rauner is asking the legislature to work with him to identify additional spending reforms and bring the budget into balance.

Criteria for CCAP eligibility are determined through the administrative rule making process, which is overseen by the bipartisan, legislative Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. IDHS plans to implement the new criteria through emergency rulemaking, ensuring more families can receive child care as quickly as possible. The Department will also continue working with the child care community to closely monitor the availability of funds and make adjustments, when necessary, to ensure the state is meeting the needs of families while still being fiscally responsible.

Four new policy units formed; economic team announced

Press Release from the office of Governor Bruce Rauner

A new team of experts has been assembled in the Rauner-Sanguinetti Administration to focus on issue areas key to state policy development.

The new policy teams – in economics, health and social services, criminal justice, and infrastructure and regulation – will integrate their efforts to serve the offices of Gov. Bruce Rauner and Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti. Comprised of experts from government, the private sector and nonprofits, their work will be under the direction of Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Michael Lucci.

“We’ve attracted a group of talented, experienced policy professionals and public servants,” Lucci said. “They share a passion for making Illinois a state where hard-working families can achieve their dreams, in part because government policy has helped facilitate economic opportunity and societal fairness.”

The first of four units to be announced is the one focused on state economics. It will play a central role in creating the vision and policy framework for balanced budgets, sustainable finances and a pro-growth environment for job creation.

Hans Zigmund, who becomes the governor’s economic policy director, will lead the group and work with agencies and other stakeholders inside and outside of state government that focus on economic policy.

Before joining the Governor’s Office, Zigmund was chief economist at the Department of Revenue. He previously held positions as associate director at the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) and staff economist at Revenue.

His team will be responsible for tax policy analysis, balanced budget initiatives, public pension reform and regulatory relief in areas such as workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, and occupational licensure. The team also will recommend initiatives in tax increment finance reforms, property tax relief and tax credit evaluation.

The economic policy group members are:

Mischa Fisher, economist and economic policy adviser: Previously, Fisher was a Congressional legislative director in Washington, D.C., overseeing financial services, technology, science and infrastructure policy. He is responsible for economic policy areas including energy and economic regulatory policy.

Charlie Weikel, policy adviser: Before joining the governor’s office, Weikel served as a management consultant, focusing on corporate strategy and operations. Weikel covers pension and fiscal municipal policy on Gov. Rauner’s economics team. Weikel also works on agency-level operations in the Governor’s Office, covering a variety of operations topics, ranging from operational improvements to performance contracts.

Kristy Stephenson, policy adviser: Before joining Gov. Rauner’s team, Stephenson served as the downstate director for the Illinois comptroller. She has served as the treasurer of the city of Metropolis since 2004, and she was a founding appointee to the Massac Metropolis Port District. Stephenson will represent the Governor’s Office policy team in southern Illinois, focusing on municipal fiscal issues and on opportunities for economic growth in downstate Illinois.

Brian Costin, deputy chief of staff and policy director to Lt. Governor Sanguinetti: Costin was the lead policy staffer on the Local Government Consolidation and Unfunded Mandates Task Force in 2015, and he currently serves as the lead policy staffer on the Military Economic Development Committee and the Joint Rivers Coordinating Council. Previously, Costin worked at the Illinois Policy Institute as a local government transparency and anti-corruption expert, and he worked in government relations at the Heartland Institute. As policy adviser to Gov. Rauner, Costin will focus on tax increment financing, local government, lottery, disaster and anticorruption policy matters.

Joshua Altman, Dunn Fellow: Altman is a 2017 graduate of Yale University who was an investment banking summer analyst with Goldman Sachs. Altman will assist the economic team in research and policy development.