Legislators want to see state turnaround
The new State Senator for the 53rd District, Chris Balkema, wants to see lawmakers move fast enough in the right direction not to bankrupt the state.
Balkema was among those speaking last week during the Livingston County Farm Bureau Legislative Breakfast at the Precision Planting PTI Farm in Pontiac.
Balkema filed his first resolution in Springfield which is a Route 66 commemoration for the 100th anniversary of the famous highway in 2026. He wants to keep building relationships in Springfield.
“Logic will prevail,” Balkema told the crowd, while noting he wants to stop the moving trucks in the state.
The senator says the governor wants new revenue from taxes not even passed yet. He referred to the CMS agency as a “bloated mess” and said he would go head-to-head with others at the state capital when needed.
Balkema has a bill to restore funding to Soil & Water Conservation Districts and wrote a deer management bill. He also sponsored three property tax relief bills. Balkema referred to Senate Bill 9 as a “death bill.”
“I’m super excited there are good days ahead,” Balkema concluded. “We are going to keep fighting.”
Josh Perschall, a district press coordinator for Congressman Darin LaHood, also addressed the Legislative Breakfast providing updates at the federal level. Legislators have been deficient on passing a farm bill in the past year and a half while the focus is now on the federal budget.
Perschall hopes summer will be the final sprint to get a farm bill done.
“We are working on expanding market program access,” Perschall explained.
Congressman LaHood is focused on making sure tariffs are used in a strategic way because everyone realizes the impact they have on the agricultural community. Perschall says ag is a big focus and they will continue to advocate for farmers in our nation’s capital.
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