Sangamon Sun

State Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) is marking the 126th birthday celebrations of Eastern Illinois and Northern Illinois universities by singing the praises of both institutions

“On behalf of all the EIU graduates, Happy 126th birthday to Eastern Illinois University and Northern Illinois University,” Butler said in a video posted to YouTube. “126 years ago, the enabling acts for both of these fine institutions were enacted. EIU has a great history in our state of education. It started as a teachers' college. We’ve educated generations of teachers that have gone out and taught generations of Illinoisans, ever since we were founded in 1895.”

“We have an excellent journalism school that has produced award-winning journalism, journalists around the world," Butler said. "We have a leader in quarterbacks and coaches in the NFL, as you may know, and my favorite, we produce a lot of great public servants. In this body we have several EIU folks who attended EIU in this body. EIU still remains as the only Illinois public institution that has educated a governor.”

Butler is also among the lawmakers in Springfield leading the charge for structural changes in the  state’s troubled pension system.

A recent Illinois Policy Institute report concludes Illinois is now home to the worst public pension debt in the country, a massive debt amount that is reported to be growing by an average of 19% annually.

"We haven't tackled the pension issue yet in Illinois," Butler said last month on WTTC Chicago. "It's going to continue to be an issue when we craft the budget. I think immediately what we have in front of us is an opportunity with the federal money to pay down a significant portion of our bill backlog."