Li Arellano For State Senate

💟 I had the wonderful opportunity today to visit the Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association (HISRA), which is just inside the Peoria portion of our 37th Senate District.

⛹🏼‍♀️HISRA is a result of a desire on the part of the Chillicothe, Morton, Peoria and Washington Park Districts to provide quality recreation programs and services to individuals with disabilities and special needs. In any given week, it serves hundreds of individuals with disabilities from across age ranges. There are day camps, adult programs, sports and activities—and so much more!

🙏🏾Thank you to Executive Director Katie Hogan Van Cleve and Program Director Shelby Martin for spending the hour with me. We discussed the history of the association, program growth, the long waitlist for programs, and best of all visited with staff and the individuals using the wonderful programs.

⏭️ I look forward to the day when Illinois is financially healthy, and thus better able to serve and support our community members with disabilities!

The team at the Harold A. Fritz Veterans Assistance Commission of Peoria County sat down with me today to discuss Veteran services. Thanks so much to Superintendant Mike Brooks and the whole crew for their honest input, and for their passion in serving Veterans.

The Peoria V.A.C. has built a reputation of excellence in taking care of Veterans. We discussed lessons learned, recent legislation, challenges, and successes. We also discussed how to build up a successful culture of service around other parts of Illinois.

I look forward to learning more from them, and helping spread the culture. As a member of the Senate Veteran Affairs, these are important conversations as we build on the structure and improve our work.

Thanks for your time, Mike and team!

The Henry County IL GOP 🐘 had a great booth at the Geneseo Music Festival this weekend. 🎺🎷

My family and I also ran into Jamie Shoemaker for Sheriff—Jamie was one of the public servants on duty working the festival! 👮🏻‍♀️

Free Fishing Days in Illinois starts today and runs through this entire Father’s Day weekend.

It’s the perfect time to explore Illinois’ waterways and outdoors. Go with dad, or friends and family, or on a solo adventure. Or just relax nearby!

Visit www.ifishillinois.org to learn more—that is the Illinois Department of Natural Resources special fishing website. See you by the water!

👩🏼‍🌾 The Woodford County Farm Bureau legislative breakfast was my first stop today, so I was on the road early! ☀️

State Senator Chris Balkema and State Representative Dennis Tipsword joined as we discussed agricultural topics and impacts, including ethanol fuel, cover crops, the estate tax exemption (death tax), crop treatment regulations, gerrymandering, and rural needs.

Thanks to Eric Lind Mayor- Eureka, Illinois for attending, and of course thank you to the wonderful Autum Jones for organizing this. And for all her work on behalf of the Farm Bureau, Woodford County, and our State of Illinois!

Record $55.9 billion in spending. And nearly $1 billion in new taxes to fuel the insatiable appetite for more government spending.

Even $500 billion in vetoed budget errors!

More taxes. More debt. More corruption. More of the same.

Illinois families deserve better than a budget that keeps growing while businesses close and costs keep rising—all of which passed late at night while everyone is asleep. It’s time to end the tax-and-spend cycle and start putting our state on a sustainable path forward.