HIGHWOOD – State Senator Julie Morrison urges area residents to show appreciation to emergency personnel on First Responders Day, which falls on Friday, Oct. 28.

“Every day, our first responders and their families make sacrifices to serve a cause greater than themselves,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “We should honor and thank our heroes not just today – but every day.”

First Responders Day specifically thanks 911 dispatchers, as well as firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians and paramedics for their commitment to Illinois public safety.

Morrison reminds residents to extend gratitude to first responders year-round for their dedication and remember those lost in the line of duty. 

“I will continue to work to ensure our first responders receive the recognition and resources they deserve for their dedication to our communities,” Morrison said. “I urge residents to thank our first responders year round for their endless sacrifices to preserving our safety.” 

Morrison urges residents to recognize the contributions of first responders in their communities with ceremonies and activities.

GLENVIEW – Residents will be able to learn more about the property tax appeal process and how to lower their property tax bill at an upcoming workshop co-hosted by State Senators Julie Morrison and Laura Fine.

Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Michael Cabonargi will lead the workshop, which will take place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at the Glenview Public Library, located at 1930 Glenview Rd. The workshop will take place in the Community Room East.

“High property taxes are the number one issue I hear about from residents,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “We’re working on long-term property tax reforms in Springfield, but to provide some relief in the meantime, residents should consider appealing their property tax assessment to potentially lessen their tax burden.”

Residents are asked to bring their second installment property tax bill to the workshop, and to have their property index number on hand for reference.

"As the property tax appeals process is complex, I appreciate Commissioner Cabonargi’s office for hosting this workshop," Fine said "I am hopeful this workshop will provide residents with useful insight to help them navigate the appeals process."  

For more information about filing an appeal, including online appeal options and filing deadlines, residents can visit CookCountyBoardOfReview.com/Cabonargi.

WHO: State Senator Julie Morrison, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Environmental Council
WHAT: Community Forum on PFAS and Forever Chemicals
WHEN: 6:30-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022
WHERE: Elawa Farm, 1401 Middlefork Dr., Lake Forest, Illinois 60045

LAKE FOREST – State Senator Julie Morrison will host a community forum on PFAS and forever chemicals at 6:30-7:30 p.m., Tuesday Oct. 11 at Elawa Farm in Lake Forest.

“Some of our neighbors have expressed an interest in the risk posed by forever chemicals in our water,” said Senator Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “I encourage all to join us for an informative event with experts who are working to provide us with clean water.”

Expert panelists will include Brad Frost and Tesch Woods, Office of Community Relations, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency; Aaron Martin, Toxicology Manager, Illinois Department of Public Health; and Iyana Simba, City Programs Director, Illinois Environmental Council.

This event is free and open to the public.

HIGHWOOD  – State Senator Julie Morrison is announcing that school districts across Cook and Lake counties will receive nearly $25 million in funding to help address the financial challenges of recent years.

“When schools are adequately funded, students have better outcomes – from better test scores to increased graduation rates,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “The additional funding allocated to schools across the area will provide more curriculum options, better facilities and other resources to help students learn and grow.” 

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. 

Some local schools that are set to receive additional funding include:

• Wheeling School District 21: $13,432,736
• River Trails School District 26: #1,523,718
• Northbrook Elementary School 27: $791,396
• West Northfield School District 31: $808,369
• Lake Bluff Elementary School District: 65: $565,077
• Lake Forest School District 67: $1,014,839
• Bannockburn School District 106: $140,906
• Deerfield School District 109: $1,829,408
• North Shore School District 112: $3,373,338
• Township High School District 113: $1,854,468
• Lake Forest CUSD 115: $881,134

The Fiscal Year ‘23 budget invested an additional $350 million into student’s success through the evidence based funding model.

“Illinois is a stand-out state when it comes to the way we fund our schools,” said Morrison. “Evidence based funding ensures students are provided with quality education regardless of ZIP code.”

In total, schools in the area Morrison represents saw a total of $25 million in additional funding. For more information on the FY 23 evidence based funding distribution, people can visit isbe.net/Pages/EvidenceBasedFunding.