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| Photo Credit: Illinois Office of Tourism | Enjoy Illinois |
Democrats continue to shove through bad legislation in the final moments of session, denying any transparency and trampling on the legal process. This was on full display during the recently completed spring session in Springfield. Billions of tax dollars have been spent on funding healthcare, housing, and other benefits for illegal immigrants while Illinois citizens struggle. With no more federal bailouts ready to save the day for presidential hopeful Governor Pritzker, taxpayers are left to wonder when their families will come first.
The budget process in Springfield this year was so egregious that Republican lawmakers filed a lawsuit in Sangamon County Circuit Court. Democrats used their deceitful ‘gut-and-replace’ tactics to shove through a law that is both hostile and potentially damaging to Illinois businesses. Senate Bill 328 would overhaul Illinois’ judicial system by allowing businesses to be sued by out-of-state plaintiffs in Illinois courts, regardless of where the incident occurred. The bill creates harm for Illinoisans by exposing the legal process to increased abuse by trial lawyers, and job creators across Illinois strongly oppose it. SB 328 will only serve to further discourage businesses from coming to our state.
This is only one example of how the Illinois Constitution and Three Readings Rule were violated by Democrats; and further examination found at least two dozen third reading rule violations by Democrats this past spring session alone.
“Illinois Democrats have shown time and time again that they will ignore any procedural rule, even our state Constitution, to advance their agenda,” stated Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria). “The Third Reading Rule is meant to guarantee that the people of the state of Illinois, and the legislators they elect to represent them, have an open and transparent process in place to review legislation. Every time Democrats subvert that process, it only degrades trust in state government further. This lawsuit is about guaranteeing Illinoisans get the transparent government they deserve.”
The latest state budget again included targeted pork projects to curry votes from Democratic legislators, at the expense of road funds and many other related funds. One of the most egregious of these projects is $40 million for a school district sports complex in Speaker Welch’s district, despite the fact that the statewide school infrastructure grant program remains woefully underfunded. The Governor’s BRIDGE (Budget Reserve for Immediate Disbursements and Governmental Emergencies) Fund includes a list of authorized fund sweeps from FIFTY-SEVEN (57!) different funds to create a $100 million ‘slush fund’ at his disposal to help manage his precariously balanced budget. Including capital appropriation and Democrat pork projects, the current budget contains $4.2 billion in new spending.
Democrats have no shame in using last-minute gimmicks to fund pork projects in their local districts, and their toolkit and blueprint for the future is loaded with a number of tax hike proposals at their disposal. Among the proposed tax increases that were not included in the current budget, but were discussed and likely are still on Democrats’ radar, include: Service Tax, Digital Advertising Tax, Electric Vehicle Tax, Real Estate Transfer Tax, Unrealized Capital Gains Tax, Transit Supported Toll Fee, Retail Delivery Fee, Ride Share Tax, and on and on. In the current climate, no proposal is ever seemingly dead in Springfield, so expect many of these tax increase ideas to be brought up again soon.
And to top everything off, Democrats’ gerrymandered legislative maps have silenced the voices of millions of voters and packed non-compact, unconstitutional districts with voters from one party. And even then, it seems the Governor is not satisfied and warns he could order a redraw to further the Democrats’ fiefdom. Their hypocrisy is overwhelming, with Governor Pritzker being the leader in selective outrage.
“Governor Pritzker wants ‘rules for thee but not for me,’” stated Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton). “Just a few short years ago, Pritzker happily signed into law some of the worst, most gerrymandered maps in the country that packed his supermajority legislature and Illinois courts. House Republicans took a strong stand against gerrymandering and hold firm that voters should pick their politicians – not the other way around. Suddenly, when Democrats aren’t the ones drawing the maps, Pritzker changes his tune. This is just gaslighting flop as he tries to save face for his Presidential aspirations.”
House Republicans filed a lawsuit earlier this year, challenging Illinois’ illegal maps. The latest redistricting plan, adopted in 2021, was drawn by Democrats. According to the Constitution, it must be ‘compact, contiguous, and substantially equal in population.’ An expert, non-partisan witness found that using nationally recognized standards, 52 of the 118 House Districts are less compact than what is constitutionally required. This extreme partisan gerrymandering has led to millions of voters’ voices being silenced. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed on an obscure technicality. Moving forward, a bipartisan group is being formed, with its goal being to amend the Illinois Constitution to remove partisan influence in how future legislative maps are drawn.
The Illinois State Fair is a wonderful time to celebrate with family and friends and enjoy some of the greatest food and entertainment Illinois has to offer. It’s also a time to remember that things aren’t always as they seem, especially when the messaging from those in charge is rooted in fallacies and make-believe.