Watch Your Wallet as End of Spring Session Nears. Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, Deputy Leader Norine Hammond and Deputy Leader Ryan Spain held a press conference Thursday to call for structural reform and preview the end of the spring legislative session, as the FY26 Budget deadline looms near. With several new tax proposals introduced in the last week, the lawmakers raised the alarm for Illinoisans.
Representative Spain warned Illinoisans to watch their wallets and declared House Republicans would stand as a blockade to fight Democrat tax increases. With 7 days left in the spring legislative session, there are many important issues to address. Here’s what Illinoisans are facing:
🚩 No relief for Illinoisans who are being crushed by our state’s burdensome tax rates
🚩 Spending taxpayer dollars on health benefits for illegal immigrants while our most vulnerable citizens struggle
🚩 “Green” energy policies costing residents in rate hikes, causing job losses, and shorting energy generation capacity in Illinois
🚩 Public safety failures due to the broken SAFE-T Act putting Illinois communities at risk
🚩 A lack of ethics reforms that are desperately needed to end public corruption in Illinois
Democrats think more revenue is the answer to all our problems. The truth is, without structural reforms, that revenue will be wasted and our residents will continue to struggle.
House Republicans will serve as a shield for taxpayers and a source of truth for the people of Illinois throughout this budget season and beyond, will not support a budget with ANY tax hikes and will continue to expose bad policy put forth by the majority party.
Rather than cut spending, Democrats push billions in tax hikes to fill budget hole.
With one week to go before the May 31st deadline, Governor JB Pritzker and the Democratic majority are preparing to pass the largest budget in state history.
$55.2 billion, nearly $2 billion more than last year and another record-breaking spending level.
Since Gov. Pritzker took office in 2019, state spending has increased by more than $15 billion ($40 billion to $55.2 billion), a 38% increase in spending.
Illinois is facing a billion-dollar budget deficit for FY 26. Rather than cut wasteful spending, the Democrats’ solution is more taxes!
From resurrecting their failed progressive income tax hike, to the highest service tax in the country, Democrats want to take more money from your pocket to pay for their out-of-control spending.
The Illinois Revenue Alliance aka the “Tax-and-Spend Alliance” recently presented a list of tax hikes that would raise taxes by $6 billion.
$6 billion in new taxes! All to pay for taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits for illegal immigrants, more pork projects for Democrats, and more wasteful spending. These tax hikes would further damage our economy and drive up the tax burden and cost of living for Illinois families.
On Pritzker’s watch, over $3 billion has been spent on services for migrants and illegal immigrants, while services for our most vulnerable citizens remain chronically underfunded and underserved.
The truth is… the Democrats’ sanctuary state policy has cost Illinois taxpayers billions and made our communities less safe.
With over half-a-million illegal immigrants in Illinois, we should be working with the Trump Administration to deport dangerous criminal aliens. It’s time to end Illinois’ sanctuary state policy!
The State of Illinois should stop providing taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits to illegal immigrants. With a billion-dollar budget deficit, we simply cannot afford this budget buster.
As we approach the end of session, House Republicans are focused on passing a balanced budget that prioritizes the needs of Illinois families over illegal immigrants. And we will continue to stand with hardworking families against any attempt to increase their taxes.
ENERGY
Illinois on Brink of Energy Cost Crisis. Illinois is on the brink of a summer energy cost crisis as prices and demand spike. The state is facing a significant decrease in electricity generation at the same time demand is increasing.
Due to misguided public policy, as well as economic market factors, Illinois’ power generation capacity has taken a significant hit.
Under current law, all electricity in the state of Illinois will be required to come from zero-emission sources (including nuclear power) by 2045. We have literally tied our hands and turned our backs on abundant Illinois coal, all in the name of the failed Green New Deal.
The price of electricity in northern Illinois rose to the highest point in the last decade over the summer of 2024, when electric capacity prices spiked more than 800% to about $270 per megawatt-day.
Prices have skyrocketed in the downstate MISO grid for the Ameren service territory. The most recent MISO auction for the summer months resulted in capacity prices that are 22 times higher than last summer’s prices! Capacity prices for the upcoming summer season jumped to $666.50/MW-day from $30/MW-day last year.
As a result of the increase in summer capacity charges, Ameren Illinois’ supply price will increase by roughly 50 percent, from around 8 cents per kWh to around 12 cents per kWh. This will result in an approximately 18% to 22% total bill increase for residential Ameren customers.
The MISO capacity auction results highlight the continuing energy challenges facing downstate Illinois. The state isn’t bringing renewable energy online quickly enough. Illinois is falling behind on its goals for renewable generation. Illinois’ next benchmark is to have 40% of electricity sales come from renewable sources by 2030. As of October 2024, the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) was less than halfway to meeting that mark.
Clearly, Illinois’ current energy policy and infrastructure are failing to meet the huge demand for reliable power at a reasonable price. As a result, Illinois families are getting slammed with high power bills and reduced reliability.
Rather than cut spending, Democrats push billions in tax hikes to fill budget hole.
With one week to go before the May 31st deadline, Governor JB Pritzker and the Democratic majority are preparing to pass the largest budget in state history.
$55.2 billion, nearly $2 billion more than last year and another record-breaking spending level.
Since Gov. Pritzker took office in 2019, state spending has increased by more than $15 billion ($40 billion to $55.2 billion), a 38% increase in spending.
Illinois is facing a billion-dollar budget deficit for FY 26. Rather than cut wasteful spending, the Democrats’ solution is more taxes!
From resurrecting their failed progressive income tax hike, to the highest service tax in the country, Democrats want to take more money from your pocket to pay for their out-of-control spending.
The Illinois Revenue Alliance aka the “Tax-and-Spend Alliance” recently presented a list of tax hikes that would raise taxes by $6 billion.
$6 billion in new taxes! All to pay for taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits for illegal immigrants, more pork projects for Democrats, and more wasteful spending. These tax hikes would further damage our economy and drive up the tax burden and cost of living for Illinois families.
On Pritzker’s watch, over $3 billion has been spent on services for migrants and illegal immigrants, while services for our most vulnerable citizens remain chronically underfunded and underserved.
The truth is… the Democrats’ sanctuary state policy has cost Illinois taxpayers billions and made our communities less safe.
With over half-a-million illegal immigrants in Illinois, we should be working with the Trump Administration to deport dangerous criminal aliens. It’s time to end Illinois’ sanctuary state policy!
The State of Illinois should stop providing taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits to illegal immigrants. With a billion-dollar budget deficit, we simply cannot afford this budget buster.
As we approach the end of session, House Republicans are focused on passing a balanced budget that prioritizes the needs of Illinois families over illegal immigrants. And we will continue to stand with hardworking families against any attempt to increase their taxes.
ENERGY
Illinois on Brink of Energy Cost Crisis. Illinois is on the brink of a summer energy cost crisis as prices and demand spike. The state is facing a significant decrease in electricity generation at the same time demand is increasing.
Due to misguided public policy, as well as economic market factors, Illinois’ power generation capacity has taken a significant hit.
Under current law, all electricity in the state of Illinois will be required to come from zero-emission sources (including nuclear power) by 2045. We have literally tied our hands and turned our backs on abundant Illinois coal, all in the name of the failed Green New Deal.
The price of electricity in northern Illinois rose to the highest point in the last decade over the summer of 2024, when electric capacity prices spiked more than 800% to about $270 per megawatt-day.
Prices have skyrocketed in the downstate MISO grid for the Ameren service territory. The most recent MISO auction for the summer months resulted in capacity prices that are 22 times higher than last summer’s prices! Capacity prices for the upcoming summer season jumped to $666.50/MW-day from $30/MW-day last year.
As a result of the increase in summer capacity charges, Ameren Illinois’ supply price will increase by roughly 50 percent, from around 8 cents per kWh to around 12 cents per kWh. This will result in an approximately 18% to 22% total bill increase for residential Ameren customers.
The MISO capacity auction results highlight the continuing energy challenges facing downstate Illinois. The state isn’t bringing renewable energy online quickly enough. Illinois is falling behind on its goals for renewable generation. Illinois’ next benchmark is to have 40% of electricity sales come from renewable sources by 2030. As of October 2024, the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) was less than halfway to meeting that mark.
Clearly, Illinois’ current energy policy and infrastructure are failing to meet the huge demand for reliable power at a reasonable price. As a result, Illinois families are getting slammed with high power bills and reduced reliability.
Say NO to Pritzker Power Plan 2.0
On Wednesday, the same environmental special interests and progressive leaders responsible for our state’s failing energy policies held a rally for their so-called “Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act” (CRGA). According to these environmentalists, this bill will “accelerate Illinois’ clean energy progress while protecting consumers amidst a rise in energy demand…”
Immediately following the CRGA rally, House Republicans held a Capitol press conference to raise the alarm over Illinois’ growing energy crisis.
Assistant Republican Leader C.D. Davidsmeyer blasted CRGA and the environmental special interests behind it.
“Sorry, but we’re not buying what you’re selling,” Rep. Davidsmeyer said. “These radical environmental policies, taken straight from the Green New Deal playbook, have crippled our power generation capacity, directly leading to the energy cost crisis we are facing today. The proposed CRGA and terrible energy omnibus bill will only make Illinois’ energy crisis worse. It’s time to put the interests of hardworking Illinoisans ahead of these clean energy fantasies.”
State Rep. Travis Weaver said that Illinois is facing an energy crisis driven by bad policies from the Pritzker administration.
“Common sense tells us that our failing energy policies are a direct result of irresponsible planning and have caused our power rates to increase faster than all of our Midwest neighbors,” Rep. Weaver said. “As we enter the last few days of the legislative session, the lack of urgency to address this crisis is unbelievable. Bad policy brought us here, but smart policy can get us out and move us forward.”
Over the weekend, 600 pages of legislative language emerged for a massive energy omnibus bill. Speaking at a press conference at the Capitol, State Representative Ryan Spain called the Pritzker Power Plan 2.0 bad for job creators, families and taxpayers, who are already facing major utility bill increases. He urged legislators to say NO to the Pritzker Power Plan 2.0.
JOBS
Increase in Chicago area metro unemployment. The Chicago-Naperville-Schaumberg metro area tracked by the Illinois Department of Unemployment Security IDES) reported a major 0.5% increase in unemployment in April 2025. Unemployment increased in the Chicago metro area during this 30-day period from 4.6% to 5.1%. The Chicago metro area excludes Lake County and Kane County, which are adjacent to Metro Chicago but are counted in different areas. Unemployment dropped in Lake County (Lake County Metro Division) and in Kane County (Elgin Metro Division) during the same period.
The Chicago increase in unemployment could reflect overall weaknesses, already tracked by IDES, in Illinois job creation in the subset of professional and business services. In April 2025, for example, IDES reported that this job category has dropped by 11,500 jobs statewide over the course of the prior 12 months. Many facets of the U.S. private sector are looking at states other than Illinois for job creation, and this could be affecting the overall job picture in Chicago and its nearby suburbs.
MEMORIAL DAY
Memorial Day’s roots in Illinois. The family tradition of Memorial Day had its start with the custom of gathering in places of eternal rest to pay tribute to our kinfolk, especially those who have fought in America’s wars. Many flags in Illinois will be lowered to half-staff on Memorial Day to honor their sacrifice.
Memorial Day, with its roots in Illinois’ Civil War effort, has an honored place in Land of Lincoln history. Even before the Civil War was over, Americans were spontaneously gathering in springtime to strew flowers and honor the war dead from the conflict that had been fought in 1861-1865. Then an Illinois man, John A. Logan, stepped in.
After the Civil War, General Logan had been elected to be the head of the Grand Army of the Republic, a band of Union Army veterans, to lead and organize the commemoration of the war effort and the sacrifices made by American veterans. Logan’s goal was to standardize these springtime gatherings, and to create a space for parades and other acts of collective remembrance. Only three years after Lee’s surrender, in early 1868, General Logan issued the GAR General Order No. 11. This document advised Union veterans and their families to center their observances on May 30, 1868, as a day to decorate the graves of their fellow soldiers.
The creation of Illinois’ John A. Logan became a U.S. federal holiday in 1971. After the passage of more than a century, Memorial Day had become a day to honor all American soldiers’ graves, including soldiers who had fought in World War I and World War II. To help Americans carry out these honors, the 1971 law transferred Memorial Day from May 30 to make it the last Monday in May of each year. In 2025, Memorial Day will be observed on Monday, May 26.