NW Illinois News

Illinois State Senator Li Arellano, representing District 37, has announced that he and other Senate Republicans have sent a letter to Governor J.B. Pritzker. The letter urges the governor to restore $32 million in funding for Direct Support Professional (DSP) service hours in Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILAs).

"I am proud to join my fellow members of the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus in calling on Governor JB Pritzker to protect critical funding that provides care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Illinois," said Arellano, State Senator 37th District (R), according to Facebook. "In a letter sent today Republican Senators urged him to fully restore a proposed $32 million cut to Direct Support Professional service hours in Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILAs), where nearly 10,000 Illinois residents with IDD receive care. This is an important issue to me personally, as some of you know. I have already been asking questions and speaking up on the issue in my Appropriations: Health And Human Services Committee."

According to a letter posted on Arellano’s Facebook page, the Senate Republicans expressed serious concern over proposed cuts to DSP service hours. While Governor Pritzker has paused a planned reduction of 2.5 million DSP hours in group homes and proposed a modest 50-cent wage increase for DSPs in the fiscal year 2026 budget, his plan still includes cutting 900,000 DSP hours from CILAs. The senators warned that this cut could lead to the loss of up to 400 DSP jobs, further straining an already overburdened workforce and jeopardizing vital services for the 16,000 developmentally disabled Illinoisans currently on waiting lists. They strongly urged the governor to fully restore the $32 million in funding to protect these critical support services.

Screenshot of State Senator Li Arellano's May 23 Facebook post | State Senator Li Arellano's Facebook page

In April, members of the "They Deserve More" coalition gathered at the statehouse rotunda to urge legislators to raise wages for caregivers supporting Illinois residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to protest proposed cuts to state-funded DSP service hours, according to Capitol News Illinois. The state plans include increasing the base wage for these essential workers by 50 cents per hour; however, the proposed reduction of 895,000 service hours would cost an additional $20 million in fiscal year 2026 due to lost service capacity. Coalition members warn that this cut could force service providers to lay off hundreds of DSPs—equivalent to about 430 full-time positions—further straining an already stretched workforce.

Arellano previously served as mayor of Dixon starting in 2015. During his two-term tenure as mayor, he focused on restoring fiscal integrity, enhancing local infrastructure, and fostering economic development. According to his website, after fulfilling his objectives as mayor, Arellano adhered to his pledged term limits and did not seek reelection for a third term. He returned to the private sector where he now owns two Jimmy John’s franchises, a frozen yogurt shop—the Frosted Spoon—and a commercial property leasing company.