FRANKFORT – In an effort to promote local businesses and assist recovery efforts, State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) launched an application process for small business tours within the 19th District.

“While we continue to make steady progress in our state’s recovery efforts, we must continue to provide support to our local business community,” Hastings said. “It is my hope that through these tours we can highlight the businesses that make our communities so extraordinary and give business owners a welcome boost in traffic.”

Hastings will take this opportunity to tour restaurants, retail, and businesses that provide personal services, such as barber shops and salons. Applications are now open, and interested business owners can find the application here. Once the application is received, a member of Hastings’ team will respond with additional details.

Representatives of businesses with questions can call Hastings’ office at (815) 464-5431 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

FRANKFORT – To assist local residents who wish to either change or begin careers, State Senator Michael Hastings (D-Frankfort) is partnering with Victory Apostolic Church in Matteson to host the second annual A Taste of Victory Job Fair.

“As we continue to rebuild our economy, it is important for residents to have access to the best possible resources for a job search,” Hastings said. “Good paying jobs are the backbone of a strong economy and creating them for our people must be prioritized.”

The event will be held at Victory Apostolic Church in Matteson on Saturday July 31 a.m. from 11:30 to 3:30 p.m. Job seekers will be connected to companies that offer good paying jobs with benefits and opportunities for career growth. This could mean transitioning into a new career path, whether it’s in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, related changes in the labor market, or someone is simply seeking to transfer their skills to another career path. 

National Able Network and HIRE360 Chicago will be on-site to deliver high-impact training sessions, and we are in search of additional partners who are interested in developing their staff, meeting with job seekers to advertise their opportunities or programs, or to provide promotional partnerships to assist in highlighting this exciting event.

Job seekers can register for the event here and interested employers can register here.

SPRINGFIELD – Fitch Rating released a revised outlook on Illinois’ financial forecast earlier this week, a move several suburban lawmakers praise as a direct result of responsible spending.

“After years of fiscal irresponsibility and chaos under the previous governor, these rating upgrades are an example of what we can accomplish by working together to implement responsible budgets,” said State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort).. “This is a vote of confidence in the future of our state.”

“Legislative actions have consequences and we are seeing the choices made by the General Assembly over the past several years yield positive results,” said State Senator John Connor (D-Lockport).“The bottom line is that this is a concrete example of fiscal responsibility creating an incredibly bright future for our state.”

“Despite navigating a global pandemic, we were able to cut spending by nearly $1 billion since 2020 while simultaneously meeting our pension obligations and increasing investments in K-12 education by $350 million,” said State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood).. “It is incredibly gratifying to see positive results stem from responsible budget action.”

Fitch’s is the third ratings agency to upgrade the state’s forecast, in addition to Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s.

Highlights from Fitch’s analysis include:

• “Recent fiscal results and the enacted fiscal 2022 budget suggest further improvements in operating performance and structural balance in the near and medium-term that could support a return to the pre-pandemic rating or higher.”
• “Recent improvements including reduction in accounts payable and enacting plans for early retirement of federal pandemic loans, signal improvement in budget management.”
• “Broadly, the state reports a $1 billion reduction in total general fund spending for fiscal 2022 ($42.3 billion) versus the current services estimate provided in November 2020. General fund base operating spending remains flat in the fiscal 2022 enacted budget versus fiscal 2021 at $30.8 billion. Funding for K-12 and higher education is up 3%, including a $350 million increase for K-12.”

FRANKFORT – Additional improvements to South Suburban roads and bridges are set to commence in 2022 thanks to the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois program.

The plan, championed by State Senator Michael E. Hastings, will provide residents of the South Suburbs with faster commutes, safer intersections, and fewer potholes.

“When we passed the Rebuild Illinois program, we made the largest long-term infrastructure investment in the history of our state,” Hastings said. “It is thrilling to witness that investment in public safety and job creation begin to pay off.”

2022 will see the commencement of 13 projects totaling $70,948,000 in investments along I-57 and I-80, both of which traverse a large portion of the 19^th District.

These projects are a part of IDOT’s Multi-Year Plan, which outlines $20.7 billion in statewide construction projects for the next six fiscal years through Rebuild Illinois. Of that total, $3.32 billion will be invested in statewide projects that begin in 2022, spurring the state’s COVID-19 recovery effort.

“In 2019, we could not have known how desperately our economy would need the stimulus a massive infrastructure program can provide,” Hastings said. “Rebuild Illinois is going to play a key role in our state’s recovery. Our people have the chance to find good paying, sustainable jobs that can lift them into prosperity after such a turbulent year.”

For a complete list of upcoming projects in the 19^th District, visit IDOT’s website.