The State of Illinois has serious issues such as an immigration crisis, high taxes, and corruption, that need addressed to move our state forward. House Republicans have sound legislation sitting on the table that would fix a lot of state issues, but Democrats refuse to take action on issues that matter the most.
IMMIGRATION
Illinois sanctuary state policies under fire from DHS Secretary, Illinois GOP leaders. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited Springfield last Wednesday, where she blasted Illinois’ sanctuary state policy protecting undocumented immigrants. During her visit, Secretary Noem highlighted how sanctuary policies in Illinois have unleashed violence on American citizens — including rape, sexual assault, murder, and more — while shielding the illegal aliens responsible from facing consequences.
She also rebuked Governor Pritzker for using $1.6 billion in taxpayer money to expand healthcare to those who are here illegally.
Rep. Schmidt co-sponsored legislation (HB 1317) to repeal the Illinois TRUST Act, a misguided law that prohibits law enforcement agencies from working with federal authorities to detain and deport illegal immigrants. This bill would end Illinois’ sanctuary state policy.
TAXES
Threat of up to $6 billion/year in new Illinois taxes. A “tax-and-spend” wish list totaling over $6 billion in new revenue was presented to state lawmakers last week by the Illinois Revenue Alliance, a consortium that includes the Chicago Teachers Union, healthcare unions, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and other left-leaning special interests.
Here are the tax increases and new taxes that would be implemented, according to the Illinois Revenue Alliance:
- $1.7 billion from increased taxes on capital gains
- $1.5 billion from a tax on so-called carried interest
- $1.2 billion in increased revenues from the corporate income tax, based on combined reporting
- $840 million from a wealth tax on billionaires
- $830 million from a hike in the corporate income tax rate
- $725 million from a tax on digital advertising (Alphabet and Meta would be major payors)
- $200 million in additional corporate income tax proceeds from an improved application of the tax to offshore income
- $175 million in additional corporate income tax proceeds from the closure of unspecified corporate income tax loopholes
- $150 million in additional estate tax income
Illinois House Republicans slammed the proposals from progressive interest groups that would raise taxes by $6 billion on Illinois working families and businesses.
ETHICS
House Democrats again stonewall ethics reform. The Democratic supermajority has implemented a foolproof plan to prevent action on legislative ethics and election reform in Springfield:
- Set up a House Committee on Ethics & Elections with jurisdiction over all bills dealing with ethics reform and elections in Illinois
- Assign bills dealing with Illinois legislative ethics reform and Illinois election law to the Ethics & Elections Committee
- The House Ethics & Elections Committee never meets
This spring marked the first legislative session after the conviction of Michel J. Madigan, former Illinois House Speaker, on multiple federal corruption charges. The Madigan conviction, along with numerous other government corruption charges and convictions, have led to serious calls for ethics reform. However, Democratic Party leaders have made sure these calls for reform go unheard. Although this week was the House and Senate deadlines for reporting bills out of committee to the floors of the House and the Senate, the House has not had the chance to debate or vote on any substantive ethics reform legislation this year. Once again, House Democrats are stonewalling efforts to stop political corruption and clean up the mess in Springfield.