Dupage Policy Journal

Senator John Curran stated, "A budget is a list of priorities, and the budget passed by the Democratic Majority tonight prioritizes newly arrived non-citizens over the taxpayers we were elected to represent." Curran, who was elected to represent the people of State Senate District 41 in 2017, added, "It is patently unfair to raise taxes on Illinois families struggling to afford basic needs, and job creators fighting to keep people employed to pay for the migrant crisis Gov. Pritzker created."

"A budget is a list of priorities, and the budget passed by the Democratic Majority tonight prioritizes newly arrived non-citizens over the taxpayers we were elected to represent," said John F Curran, State Senator 41st District, according to Facebook.

In his Facebook post, Curran shared a link to a YouTube video where he spoke on the Senate floor regarding the budget.

Screenshot of Sen. John F. Curran's May 26 Facebook post | Sen. John Curran Facebook page

"Throughout this budget process, we have brought forth many positive proposals, some of which are included in this final product. The inclusion of these items is a testament of the positive impact that our caucus can have. By showing up and fully participating in the process, they are also proof the people are better served when both parties are at the table. We’ve also continued to introduce legislation and budget priorities throughout this year to help counter Governor Pritzker’s misplaced priorities," Curran said in the video.

On May 26, in a 38-21 vote, the Illinois State Senate passed a $53.1 billion budget, according to a report by WAND-TV. The budget included a $20.3 billion appropriation for education during the 2025 fiscal year, including funding for the Smart Start Illinois program and an increased $75 million for early-childhood block grants and opening 5,000 more preschool slots. As for non-citizen programs referred to by Bryant, the budget included $160 million earmarked for migrant welcome centers. The budget also includes $290 million for the Home Illinois program to address homelessness.

Curran emphasized alternative policies: "Instead of supporting measures to reduce parental choice, we introduce policies to help parents keep their kids safe," mentioning Deputy Leader Resin’s Safe Screens Healthy Minds initiative and Senator Harris’ legislation requiring age verification for adult websites. He added support for Senator Tracy’s childcare tax credit and Senator Bennett’s bill aimed at saving "Invest in Kids." Curran highlighted initiatives aimed at reducing property taxes and eliminating estate taxes.

"Instead of renaming criminal offenders as 'justice-impacted individuals,' we want to help victims of domestic violence through Senator McClure’s legislation," Curran said. He further mentioned efforts such as increasing penalties for violating orders of protection and providing more time for victims through proposed modifications to pretrial presumption laws.

Curran joined the Illinois General Assembly in 2017 after serving three terms on the DuPage County Board where he rose from member to Vice Chair. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Downers Grove Economic Development Corporation.