12-7-24
We Must Never Forget
Illinois Headlines Shed Light on Democrat’s Failures
Over the past few weeks, everyone has read Illinois headlines that paint a different picture than what Governor Pritzker is telling people. Democrats want everyone to think that their policies are making Illinois a better state, but the harsh truth is that bad public policy has created turmoil in Illinois. The state is in debt, Pritzker supports illegal immigration, property taxes are skyrocketing, and an energy crisis is looming.
$3.2 billion projected budget deficit for FY26
The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) issued a projection of Illinois’ budget forecast for Fiscal Year 2026. The budget projection, contained within its annual “Illinois Economic and Fiscal Policy Report,” includes forecasts of State revenues and expenditures for the approaching fiscal year, which will start on July 1, 2025.
Despite raising taxes by $1 billion in FY25, the Pritzker Administration is now scrambling to address a staggering deficit by asking state agencies to propose cuts to programs and operations. Chicago alone has seen a $6 billion dollar budget increase since 2019. Mismanaging funds is having a direct impact on Illinois taxpayers.
Pritzker Vows to Protect “his people”
Thousands of illegal immigrants have entered Illinois and taxpayers are funding their services. Despite calls from residents to end the free ride for illegals, Pritzker embraces his decisions to provide them with Cadillac healthcare and other services. Hard-working families are not “his people” he is fighting to protect. Under this administration, the safety and security of Illinois residents comes last.
Residents of Chicago are blasting Mayor Brandon Johnson over the city spending more than half a billion dollars on sheltering migrants, with one telling the Democrat to his face during a City Council meeting that he’s the “worst mayor in America.”
Energy Cost are Out of Control
Once again, poor public policies crafted by radical Democrats have an energy crisis looming in Illinois. Solar and wind projects are simply not enough to keep up with energy demands in Illinois. Creating affordable and reliable energy should be one of Pritzker’s priority, but unfortunately he would rather chase a climate hoax. It appears the alarmists were right, and Pritzker and the green lobby were wrong.
Illinois’ Unemployment Rate Third Highest in Country
Pritzker said “the future is bright”, but Illinois residents say otherwise. The economy is not growing enough and businesses are leaving our state. Illinois has the tools and resources to create a strong job market, but burdensome regulations are killing opportunity across Illinois. The state’s unemployment rate is the third highest at 5.3%. Since the pandemic, Illinois ranks 47th in the country in job growth and last among all neighboring states in job growth rate. Read more…
Skyrocketing 2024 Illinois Property Taxes
According to a Wallet Hub study released in February 2024, Illinois has the second-highest property tax burden in the country. The facts are clear, Illinoisans have one of the highest overall tax burdens – largely due to out-of-control property tax rates. Pritzker promised property tax relief in his 2020 State of the State speech. He even created a task force to make tax cut proposals. It never delivered a final report and the governor never delivered relief. Illinois residents receive political theater from Democrats when they really need tax relief.
Make Your Voice Heard by taking my constituent survey and letting me know what state issues are most important to you and your family.
Lion Electric to ‘suspend’ production in Joliet
Lion Electric announced it will “suspend” operations at its Joliet plant as the company continues to cut jobs and lose money. This news is another example of the downfall of EV production in Illinois. Democrats try to force individuals to buy a product they don’t want, and they are wasting money betting on the EV market. Read more…
Meanwhile….
Governor Pritzker sent out a press release announcing that the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity received an award from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Mind the Bridge, and economic leaders for the Startup Ecosystems (SES) for “Startup Ecosystem Star” in the special award category “Outstanding Investment Boost.”
According to DCEO director Kristin Richards, (she was the head of IDES when there was over $5 billion in unemployment fraud), Illinois was recognized for “making strategic state investments in innovative founders, emerging technologies, our well-educated workforce, and by creating the spaces where innovation can thrive.”
What this actually means is that they won an award for using our tax money to subsidize technologies that can’t thrive on their own like EVs (Rivian gets $827M in tax subsidies), EV batteries (CCP-Gotion gets $536M), fake meat companies (over a million), data centers that users can pay for themselves, and quantum computing campuses that entrepreneurs should fund ($500M).
Rivian is not profitable. Lion Electric has shutdown manufacturing in Illinois. Stellantis refuses to re-open their Belvidere plant to make EVs, and our Governor is winning awards because he is investing our money in these “innovative industries.”
None of this makes sense
Illinois Unemployment 3rd Highest In The Country
As if outrageous property taxes, high crime and the dismal public school system weren’t enough, Illinois now claims a top spot in the country for high unemployment. A new U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows that the state unemployment rate of 5.3% in October has some 346,000 residents looking for work.
Illinois’ unemployment rate is more than a full point above the national average and falls only behind California and Nevada.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_e3f3fe80-b197-11ef-9983-57d28a82f049.html
Also in the report, only 6 out of 15 Illinois metropolitan areas added jobs in October.
Overall there was a decrease of 2,400 jobs statewide.
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/only-6-of-15-illinois-metro-areas-gained-jobs-in-october/
Illinois Is the Poster Child For Irresponsible Government Spending
With absolutely no regard for results that would benefit the people of Illinois, those in power continue to spend money on THEMSELVES. How much longer are we going to put up with this??
Listen to Ted Dabrowski of Wirepoints discuss how Chicago Public School (CPS) staffing increased 25% even as enrollment fell during COVID. Also linked here is more reading from Wirepoints on:
- Chicago’s soaring pension debts
- CPS’s billion-dollar deficit and how they got there
- Only half of CPS’s $10 billion in yearly spending makes it to the classroom
- Why Illinois is in such a financial mess
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Also listen to Ted as he joins WVON’s Bridgette Washington to discuss unbearable property tax hikes and why Illinois has the nation’s most units of local government:
People Will Always Find Ways Around Illinois’ Lazy Taxing Habits
Instead of coming up with real solutions to the state’s many problems, elected officials continue to use the incredibly lazy response of ‘just shake down the taxpayer tree’. Innovation, creativity and a basic knowledge of the economy escape these people entirely.
The Illinois Democrat Pary would have better luck asking Santa Claus for help.
They don’t seem to understand that denying people legitimate opportunities and draining them of their hard-earned money will only force them to move their families and businesses out of the state, cross state lines to make purchases and go elsewhere to find jobs.
Criminal activity, like cigarette smuggling, also fills a void to counteract their ineffective, self-serving policies.
Illinois is 10th in the nation for cigarette smuggling, where people sell packs from other states because Illinois state cigarette taxes are $2.98 for a package of 20 cigarettes.
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-in-top-10-states-for-cigarette-smuggling/
If He Has His Way…
…Illinois state Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) will see to it that the new Medical Debt Relief Pilot Program EXPANDS its benefits to even more than the thousands of Illinois residents already being focused on.
J.B. Pritzker’s office recently sent out notices to over 52,000 Illinoisans informing them that their medical debts have been relieved by TAXPAYERS. The average amount being ‘cleared’ is $ 1,349.
Not only does Illinois NOT HAVE THE MONEY for this, a recent study by the National Bureau of Economic Research concluded that there is “no impact of debt relief on credit access, utilization and financial distress on average” and “no effect of medical debt relief on mental health on average”.
This is yet another example of Democrats who clearly do not understand economics and how to craft good, meaningful public policy. They are a ‘one-solution’ Party that continues to throw TAXPAYER money (that we don’t have) at their wish list, while Illinoisans continue to flee the state in droves.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_64d85438-b323-11ef-9cc5-07e87844b8f1.html
Natural Cold Remedies That Actually Work!
Maybe our grandmothers were right all along! Some over the counter treatments may help temporarily with symptoms, but their ingredients could be harmful and may even cause more problems than they resolve.
Here are some natural remedies that are scientifically proven to effectively ease your cold and flu symptoms:
https://betterreport.com/natural-cold-remedies/
Here is a map of the new 101st House District. Use this link for a clearer picture and to enter your address to see if you live in the district: https://repcmiller.com/district/
As your state representative, my office is available to assist you with any issues you may have when interacting with a state agency.
Please call our office at 217.508.4108 to get help or schedule an appointment to see me.
The office is located at 1113 Lincoln Ave, Charleston and is open Mon-Fri from 9am- 4 pm.