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Leader McCombie and Deputy Leader Ryan Spain are pictured 

with Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan (Ogle County).

With National Ag Week taking place from March 17-23, 2024, the Illinois State Capitol was abuzz with activity during the Session Week before as agricultural advocates including local farm bureau groups, FFA students, and livestock and energy industry advocates took to their State Capitol to advocate for Illinois leading role in agricultural production of energy, food and fiber for the world.

  • Illinois is the #1 soybean producing state in the country.
  • 15% of all U.S. soybeans are produced in Illinois.
  • Illinois is the #2 corn producing state in the country.
  • 13% of our country’s supply of corn is grown on Illinois farms.
  • Crop land makes up 76% of Illinois.

This week at the Illinois Capitol, State Representative Tom Weber was joined by fellow Representatives Joe Sosnowski and Martin McLaughlin to call on the State to act on property tax relief. Despite many years of claiming to support property tax relief, the majority party in Springfield has only allowed minimal action on relief proposals. The solutions offered by Weber and his colleagues would place hard caps on property tax increases that have been driving families and small businesses out of the state for years.

“Men and women across Illinois have worked hard and done everything right to provide a home for their families,” said Weber. “Unfortunately, for too many people, the dream of homeownership has turned into a nightmare of unmanageable property tax bills that are threatening their ability to keep their homes.

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House Minority Leader Tony McCombie held a press conference this week to discuss the ongoing issues at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. McCombie stood alongside State Representatives Dave Severin and Bill Hauter to talk about the frustration IDFPR has caused residents and discuss their legislative package to provide solutions.

The package includes McCombie’s License Convenience Act (House Bill 4855), which would require the department to accept electronic payments for licenses and fees.

TAXES

Illinois’ High Taxes are Stifling Economic Growth.  At a press conference this week in Springfield, State Representative Dan Ugaste and three Republican colleagues highlighted a recent report from Moody’s Analytics and the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability that outlined how the current economy in Illinois is stalled and high tax burdens are a main reason.

Cancer screenings offer a way for individuals to find out any signs of cancer in a particular area(s) of the body before the onset of any symptoms. These screenings can help find cancer in its early stages, and in doing so that can make treatments or finding a cure easier. In short, cancer screenings help save lives. 

Cricket is becoming more popular in Illinois. Despite the dominance of sports like baseball and basketball, cricket is carving out its niche in the hearts of Illinois residents. This growth is supported with recognition by state and local governments of the popularity of the sport in our communities.

The Girl Scouts organization, best known for its cookie sales, is an organization rooted in character, courage, and confidence to teach young girls leadership skills. Before its creation in 1912, organizations geared towards teaching young girls about anything other than the usual gendered norms was unheard of and discouraged. Juliette Gordon Low, a Savannah, Georgia native, sought to change that.