Senator Chesney’s Week in Review
ComEd Works Around the Clock to Restore Power after July 15 storms The storms that ripped through Northern Illinois during the evening of July 15 produced at least 10 tornadoes and left almost half-a-million ComEd customers without power. However, I am happy to report that as of last Friday, power had been restored to 99% […]
Senator Chesney’s Week in Review
Senator Chesney Offers Spring Survey Now, more than ever, there are critical challenges that face our state. As the State Senator for the 45th District in Northwest Illinois, it is important to me that I gather input from my constituents on a regular basis. My Summer 2024 Survey was recently mailed to households across the […]
Senator Chesney’s Week in Review
Supreme Court Declines to Take Up Gun Ban – For Now In an order released July 2, the United States Supreme Court declined to take up a legal challenge to the state’s so-called “assault weapon” ban but left the door open to hearing the case in the future. Petitioners had requested that the nation’s highest […]
Senator Chesney’s Week in Review
Chesney Hosts Two More Successful Community Connections Meetings in 45th District The Community Connections meetings I have been co-hosting with local officials in the 45th Senate District continue to be very successful, with packed rooms in Rockton on June 24 and Machesney Park on June 26. I appreciate that so many people took time out […]
Senator Chesney’s Week in Review
City of Freeport to Increase Sales Tax by 1% on July 1 As of July 1, 2024, those who purchase general merchandise within the city limits of Freeport will be charged an additional 1% of sales tax. When this change takes place, Freeport’s sales tax will be 9%, one of the highest in the entire […]
Senator Chesney’s Week in Review
Governor Signs Record Spending Budget with Billion-Dollar Tax Hike Governor J.B. Pritzker’s government spending plan, which relies on $1 billion in tax increases, officially became the largest budget in state history when he signed it into law on June 5. Despite bipartisan opposition, the controversial budget sets a new high-water mark for government spending, surpassing […]
Senator Chesney’s Week in Review
Pritzker’s Tax Hikes and Record Government Spending Pass General Assembly On separate days last week, the Illinois General Assembly passed a Fiscal Year 2025 budget which sets yet another new record for government spending at just over $53 billion. The new budget, which guides spending as of July 1, 2024, represents an increase in state […]
With Three Days Remaining on Spring Calendar, Budget Remains in Flux
FY25 Budget is Elusive as Spring Session Winds Down Lawmakers are in Springfield this week for what are supposed to be the final days of the spring legislative session. The largest item that remains in flux is the budget for Fiscal Year 2025. As of this morning, we have not seen a budget, and the only […]
Senator Andrew Chesney’s Week in Review
Senator Chesney Gets “View of a Lineman” during Energy Association Event The Illinois Energy Association hosted its 2nd annual “Bringing the Tour to You” event last week in Springfield, and I had an opportunity to meet with the state’s utility and energy companies to learn more about their efforts. The companies showcased some of their […]
Senator Chesney’s Week in Review
Senate Republicans Warn, “This is How you Steal an Election,” as Democrats Pass Drastic Change to Election Law On May 2 Republican members of the Senate and House stood in defiance of a controversial new law that will drastically change the state’s election laws in the middle of the 2024 election cycle. Senate Bill 2412, […]