1. Community Leaders

     The Illinois Retired Teachers Association (IRTA) is pleased to announce the endorsement of Representative Randy Ramey for the fall 2008 General Election.

     With the assistance of the State Treasurer’s Office, State Rep. Randy Ramey (R-Carol Stream) is announcing low-interest loans are now available to residents in Cook, DuPage, and Kane counties who were affected by devastating floodwaters from the weekend of Sept. 13.

     To help flood victims with repair costs, State Representative Mike Fortner (R-West Chicago) said financial assistance is available through a program offered by the State Treasurer’s office. The Opportunity Illinois: Disaster Recovery Program makes citizens of DuPage and Kane counties who suffered damage from the floodwaters on the weekend of September 13 eligible for low-interest loans through participating lenders.

     For his commitment to small business, State Representative Mike Fortner (R-West Chicago) was recently presented with the Guardian of Small Business Award by the Illinois chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business.

     In the one-day special session held Sept. 10, State Rep. Randy Ramey (R-Carol Stream) voted against a plan to lease the state’s lottery but voted in favor or restoring important legislation banning pay-to-play politics in Illinois.

     A statewide construction program has not been passed in the last nine years and failure to pass one now could result in the loss of $9 billion dollars of matching federal transportation funds that could be used to fix our crumbling roads, bridges and schools. Political infighting on this issue also jeopardizes the opportunity to create thousands of job opportunities at a time when citizens could benefit from additional employment.