The U.S. Department of Transportation has launched an investigation into how the Illinois Department of Transportation is handling safety on the CTA. Governor Pritzker may dismiss it as a “sham,” but Chicago residents know the reality. Violent crime on public transit has surged, and meaningful intervention is long overdue.

During an interview with Capitol News Illinois last week, Governor Pritzker dismissed state Republicans as “doom grifters” and “carnival barkers,” even suggesting they are rooting for Illinois to fail. The truth is, House Republicans have repeatedly offered real solutions for the challenges facing our state, only to be shut out of the legislative process by the Democratic supermajority.

The governor also made several claims that simply do not hold up to scrutiny. 

ILLINOIS’ ECONOMY
Moody's and WalletHub Paint the Real Picture. “Everything is too damned expensive,” Governor Pritzker said during his budget address last month. But instead of taking responsibility for Illinois’ struggling economy, continued outmigration, and high tax burden, the governor once again pointed fingers at Washington, D.C.

Illinois families know these problems didn’t suddenly appear in 2025. After years of one-party rule and policies under Governor Pritzker, families are being taxed out of the state and economic growth continues to lag behind the rest of the country. Recent reports from Moody’s Analytics and WalletHub help explain why. 

Governor JB Pritzker has spent months attacking the federal government for overreach. Yet here in Illinois, he continues to push proposals that do the very same thing, taking away critical funding and stripping local control from communities across our state. Time and again, Governor Pritzker has tried to centralize more power in Springfield while leaving local governments with fewer resources and less authority. 

AFFORDABILITY/TAXES
Governor Pritzker is Making Life Too Damn Expensive. During his budget address last week, Governor Pritzker declared that everything is “too damned expensive.” On that point, Republicans agree. But the Governor failed to take accountability for his role in making Illinois less affordable, and his proposed budget makes clear that more of the same is on the way.

In his latest proposal, Governor Pritzker continues to squeeze working families and drive up the cost of living: 

During his budget address last week, Governor Pritzker declared that everything is “too damned expensive.” On that point, Republicans agree. But the Governor failed to take accountability for his role in making Illinois less affordable, and his proposed budget makes clear that more of the same is on the way. 

AFFORDABILITY/BUDGET
Pritzker’s Budget Blame Game Won’t Make Life More Affordable for Illinois Families. Governor JB Pritzker delivered his annual Budget/State of the State Address Wednesday to a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly.

Governor Pritzker’s proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Budget is a record-high $56 billion, nearly a billion dollars more than last year’s enacted budget. Pritzker’s spending plan relies on $728 million in new revenue, including new taxes on social media platforms and higher gaming taxes.