Sen. Paul Faraci recently spoke to the members of the Danville Lions Club at one of the club’s regular weekly meetings.

Faraci was appointed to the 52nd Legislative District to succeed the late State Sen. Scott Bennett. Faraci has been a resident of Champaign County for more than 45 years with a history of civic engagement and public service. Faraci is a husband and father of one.

The 52nd District includes parts of Champaign County, including Champaign, Urbana, Savoy and Rantoul, as well as parts of Vermilion County, including Danville, Tilton, Westville and Oakwood. Faraci will serve as Vice Chair of the Senate Labor Committee and on the Senate Higher Education Committee for the 103rd General Assembly. His other Senate Committee assignments include Agriculture, Health and Human Services and Appropriations-Education.

Before serving as state senator, Faraci was a small business owner and a senior account manager for the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, focusing on spurring economic development and serving as a senior advisor to State Treasurer Michael Frerichs. His achievements included: helping secure $3.4 million for Bell Helmet in Rantoul, $2.5 million to Epi Works in Champaign, and $1.5 million for Viscofan USA in Danville. His previous public service includes serving as the City of Champaign Township Assessor, Champaign City Council from 2011-2017 and Deputy Mayor, City of Champaign 2015-2017. Faraci served as a Board member at Champaign County First, a united countywide effort to identify projects to spur economic development and improve quality of life in Champaign County.

Faraci gave an overview of the State’s 2024 budget at the Lions Club meeting:

• Investments in early childhood education were increased from last year. Created grants to end early childhood education “deserts.”

• Increased K-12 evidence-based funding.

• The state made the required, plus additional, contributions to Pension Fund; the first since 1994.

• Established a Rainy Day fund of $2 billion.

• Increased community college and university funding and Monetary Award Program (MAP grants for low and moderate income students.

• Created a Teacher Pipeline and Retention Program for K-12 and higher education teachers.

• Increased Violence Prevention/Public Safety funding. Added more State Trooper positions.

• Increased Local Distributive Funds amount of tax dollars flowing back to municipal governments.

• Increased Affordable Housing Program and related human services funds.

• His Danville office is tracking a number of state capital grants and alternative funding sources for after school programs that had cuts.

• The office conducted a diaper drive to benefit the early education I-Grow program.

• The office conducted a “Senior Fraud” workshop on June 27 at CRIS Healthy Aging.

The workshop was very well attended and provided seniors with crucial tips and information regarding fraud and scams. Faraci entertained questions after his presentation, some of which centered on new developments in Danville and Vermilion County, e.g., the new Golden Nugget Casino, cannabis dispensaries in the county and the possibility of future developments in the Lynch Road area.