Illinois families are being squeezed from every direction. At the gas pump, Springfield continues piling taxes on top of taxes while billions sit unused in state transportation funds — even as Democrats divert road money to bail out Chicago transit systems instead of providing relief to drivers. Meanwhile, Illinois’ unemployment rate continues to lag behind neighboring states, taxpayers face some of the highest combined state and local tax burdens in America, and warnings about the state’s pension crisis grow louder by the day. From gerrymandering lawsuits and failing criminal justice policies to growing concerns over school funding schemes and educational choice, the pattern is becoming impossible to ignore: the priorities coming out of Springfield are making life harder, not easier, for the people footing the bill.
Brad
Drivers Are Getting Burned at the Pump
Illinois puts a tax on the tax at the pump. At the same time revenues feeding into the capital fund, and the road fund specifically, are expected to increase because of new and increased taxes. But, in fact, the state can’t spend the money in the fund on roads and bridge repair before the fund is replenished in new taxes. The money just keeps piling up. But instead of giving drivers a tax break, the Democrats shifted funds out of the road fund to Chicago transit.
It’s unfair. Now, with higher prices at the pump, Gov. Pritzker should follow the lead of Indiana and other states and suspend the gas tax – and most certainly halt the automatic July 1st gas tax increase.
Illinois Democrats for Destroying Illinois’ Job Market
Democrats, whether nationally or in Illinois, want to blame President Donald Trump, Vice President J. D. Vance, or maybe even Stephen Miller for these numbers. But if that is true, then why are nearly every one of Illinois’ neighboring states performing better than Illinois? Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin all have lower unemployment rates than Illinois.
Until we address the failed policies driving employers and opportunity out of this state, these unemployment numbers will not improve — and neither will the future for the people we represent.
Pritzker Sued Over Gerrymandering
Governor Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Elections has been sued in the Middle District of Illinois alleging violations of the Voting Rights Act, by the way the current legislative districts in Illinois are drawn up.
The lawsuit seeks to declare the Illinois Voting Rights Act as violative of the Fifteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which prohibits government from denying a citizen the right to vote based on race, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling, which found district boundaries drawn primarily with racial considerations are unconstitutional.
Read the details of the suit HERE
Illinois’ Pension Time Bomb Is Ticking
According to Truth In Accounting, Illinois’ public pension systems are in severe crisis. They have been reporting for YEARS that there is chronic underfunding that is threatening retirees, taxpayers and the state’s fiscal stability.
Truth In Accounting is urging legislators and Governor Pritzker to:
Reject Tier 2 benefit increases
Prioritize full ADC (actuarially determined contributions) in every budget bill
Determine full costs before legislation is passed
Enact the Fiscal Transparency and Accountability Act at the state level
Read their in-depth analysis HERE
Illinois Tax Rates Top The Country
According to Wallet Hub:
State and local tax rates totaled almost 17% for a median Illinois household last year, compared with the national average of just over 11%
The median amount of state and local taxes was the fourth highest in the country- $12,538, with the national median being around $8,949
The state’s burden is driven by property, sales and excise taxes that exceed national averages and those in neighboring states
Sales taxes are also elevated in Illinois, with a 6.25% state rate that reaches 9% when combined with local taxes
Read the Illinois Policy Institute report HERE
Illinoisans are also fleeing to Indiana for gas:
Having a choice in where your student gets educated should be a fundamental right. This program wouldn’t cost the state additional money and likely be as successful as the retired State of Illinois scholarship “Invest in Kids”
This program gives Illinois families powerful new tools to help their children succeed by allowing taxpayers to earn a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for donations to nonprofit Scholarship Granting Organizations. These funds create private scholarships for K-12 tuition, tutoring, therapies, and supplies—without costing the state a dime.
Illinois families deserve every opportunity for educational choice. It’s time to deliver real support for our kids.
Since When Do Serious Criminals Care About Court Dates?
Instead of acknowledging the disastrous consequences of Governor Pritzker’s and his Supermajority Democrat Party’s SAFE-T Act, clueless state senator Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago, pictured above) wants to solve the serious problem of criminals blowing off their court dates by sending them text reminders.
HA
What’s next? Sending text messages to kids reminding them to eat their vegetables?
Click Here To Read More From WANDTV
Under the stranglehold of Democrats, Illinois’ warrant system is also failing. Law enforcement and the general public are endangered by a broken, inconsistent and dangerously outdated system:
Meanwhile, crazed teen mobs are taking over the streets because they know they will not face consequences. Pastor Corey Brooks has a bone to pick with Progressive Prosecutors.
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