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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The people of Illinois are suffering from an
3ongoing economic crisis that threatens their health, wealth,
4and security; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Occupy movements in Illinois are supported by
6people of all trades and occupations, from school teachers to
7military veterans, who are stirred to protest economic
8injustice by the examples of the Occupy Wall Street movement in
9New York City and the numerous other Occupy protests across the
10country; and
 
11    WHEREAS, In Illinois, the unemployment rate is 10%
12(numbering more than 660,000 people), the poverty rate is more
13than 14% (1.8 million people), and the rate of people living in
14extreme poverty (income less than $11,000 for a family of four)
15is nearly 7% (680,000 people); and
 
16    WHEREAS, The average after-tax household income of the top
171% of the United States population grew by 275% between 1979
18and 2007, and the average after-tax household income of the
19lowest 20% of the United States population grew by just 18% in
20that same period; and
 
21    WHEREAS, The top 1% of income earners control 40% of the

 

 

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1wealth in the United States (a disparity greater than in Marie
2Antoinette's France before the Revolution of 1789); and
 
3    WHEREAS, The foreclosure rate in Illinois last month was
4the ninth worst in the country (1 of every 463 units), the rate
5in Cook County was even worse (1 of 357 units), and nearly 45%
6of the mortgage loans on Chicago homes are "underwater", that
7is, the amount of the home mortgage loan exceeds the value of
8the home; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The cost of the foreclosure crisis to Illinois
10taxpayers in 2012 is expected to reach $12 billion, blighting
11whole communities with decreased police and fire protection,
12higher crime rates, less access to health care, poorer schools,
13deteriorated infrastructure, diminished recreation services,
14reduced library services, and park closures or reduced park
15hours; and
 
16    WHEREAS, People of all ages (from young adults to seniors)
17and backgrounds, individuals from all Chicago neighborhoods
18(north, south, and west), and persons who live in the suburbs,
19downstate cities, and rural areas are lawfully protesting the
20failures of Wall Street, the subsequent economic crisis, and
21the failure to address the needs of 99% of the population;
22therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
3we recognize the injuries suffered by the people of Illinois as
4a result of these economic injustices and we stand in support
5of the continued peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights by
6Occupy protestors.