Simmons Announces $2.5 Million Awarded to 225 Small Businesses in 7th District!

Dear Neighbor,

Six months ago, I stood in a restaurant in Edgewater on Broadway and alongside small businesses, community partners and press in attendance, announced that I’d secured $2.5 million specifically for mom and pop small businesses in our far northside district. I had grown weary of hearing from too many small business owners across our district who feel the squeeze of sudden rent increases and gentrification on their storefronts, lack of translation services for immigrant-owned shops, difficulty with payroll, and other systemic challenges. We created the 7th District Small Business Restoration Grant from scratch with these funds to fill in these major gaps.

I have an update to share about the 7th District Small Business Restoration Grant. The grant process has now been completed and 225 small businesses across our district have received their grants! From Rogers Park to Buena Park to Lincoln Square to Uptown to Budlong Woods to Andersonville to Ravenswood to Edgewater, brick and mortar small businesses from every corner of the 7th District and in every single commercial corridor have received grants. Full details on the grant program are below. I could not be more proud of the 7SBRG and the timely and positive boost and encouragement it has given our local mom and pop shops and storefronts.

Caption: Senator Mike Simmons, along with dozens of 7th District small business owners, chambers and community leaders gathered in Edgewater in December to announce the launch of the 7th District Small Business Restoration Grant.

Thank you to the five local chambers and our community organizations who worked with me and my team to pull off this unprecedented and innovative program, and to our indispensable partners who provided translation services in more than a dozen languages. I’m inspired by what we were able to accomplish here. I also want to thank my Chief of Staff, Heather Saenger, who worked tirelessly to help make this happen and has a heart for our small businesses and especially those that have been left out of previous assistance efforts. Last but not least, thank you to the staff at the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for working with us to execute a vision that at first seemed daunting.

We did it!

Sincerely,

Mike Simmons
State Senator | 7th District

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22 Bills Passed in 2024 Spring Legislative Session, Simmons Profiled in Extraordinary People Magazine for Mental Health

General Updates from Senator Mike Simmons

Dear Neighbor,

The 2024 Spring Legislative session has adjourned and I am thrilled to share updates on several pieces of legislation I (and many others) worked around the clock to pass. Read on for an overview of those.

Next you will see an interesting write up that Chicago’s first Black Women-Owned business magazine, (Extra) Ordinary People, ran in May profiling me and my experiences with mental health in college.

Then in the second half of the newsletter you will also find a run through of key highlights from the $53 Billion Fiscal Year 2025 Budget we passed at the end of May. Spoiler alert: I got our child tax credit passed making Illinois the 15th state in the nation to implement this policy!

Finally, you will see a photo recap from yesterday’s historic ribbon cutting of the brand spanking new Metra station at Peterson and Ridge in the 7th District in Edgewater! And more community updates.

Sincerely,
Mike Simmons

State Senator | 7th District

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Simmons on Budget Passage: New Child Tax Credit will Ease Economic Strain for Countless Households across Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate approved a Fiscal Year 2025 budget that keeps Illinois on track to protect vital funding for mental health services while providing economic relief to thousands of households. After voting to support the plan, State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) issued the following statement:

“The very first bill I introduced in the Senate three years ago would create a child tax credit. Since then, myself, my colleagues and grassroots groups have led a movement that strongly advocated for enacting a permanent and refundable child tax credit for households in every part of Illinois who are struggling to get by and need economic relief. With passage of this budget, thousands of households – parents, caretakers, and children in Illinois – will get extra money every year to put food on the table, pay rent, get childcare and other basic needs that no family should have to forgo in our state.

“This is a long day coming and I am excited to see a historic child tax credit enacted in this year’s state budget. By directing the credit towards households that already receive the anti-poverty earned income tax credit, we are ensuring the households who are most economically strapped get money back to help them pay their bills and make a dignified living. As part of this budget passage, I also am proud to champion and pass legislation, House Bill 5290, to create a new Medical Debt Relief Program, which will wipe out medical debt for an estimated 340,000 people across Illinois.

“Finally, as Vice-Chair of the Senate Behavioral and Mental Health Committee, I recently brought together mental health stakeholders, those directly impacted by the crisis, community leaders and advocates to look at the status quo and explore actionable legislative and budgetary solutions. I take great pride in seeing their voices reflected in this budget.

“I will continue to lift up 7th District parents, caretakers, advocates and children, fighting to see their issues and concerns supported by progressive policy with the dollars to match.”

Simmons Passes Legislation to Provide Relief from Medical Debt for Low-Income Households

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Simmons is leading the charge to provide relief to more than 300,000 residents burdened by medical debt with legislation aimed at easing financial strain and promoting economic stability for individuals and families across the state.

“We know that households burdened by medical debt are less likely to go to the doctor or seek follow-up care, and are more likely to suffer from illness. Our communities need to know they can seek medical care whenever they need it,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “An unexpected injury or illness should never mean having to decide between putting food on the table or paying a medical bill. Too often people ignore their health due to cost – especially those with fixed incomes and tight budgets. We have to look out for them and make sure that a bill is never a barrier to health care.”

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