The following is a statement by State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) on remarks made today by the Illinois Comptroller.

“I am dismayed at the comments made today by Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, who has never visited the Quincy Veterans Home and cannot adequately speak to the vast improvements and cautionary steps that have been taken since the 2015 legionella outbreak. Unfortunately, all we heard today was partisan rhetoric delivered for her own political gain. 

Governor Rauner and this administration moved immediately to remediate the situation at the Veterans Home. They consulted with national experts at the CDC, brought in a new water treatment plant, increased vitals checks on residents, and began testing, treating, and flushing the water every day. Those measures, along with the $50 million investment in the Quincy Veterans Home the Governor proposed in his Budget Address today, demonstrate his dedication to the residents and our veterans.

I ask that Comptroller Mendoza and any public official who questions the safety, care and happiness of the residents of the Quincy Veterans Home visit the facility and speak to the residents. The facility provides around-the-clock-care from top-rate health care professionals and support staff. It is their home and their community.”