Chicago Breaks It, State Line Area Pays It
Unfortunately for Illinois and especially for families in the State Line area, residents will soon be forced to shoulder a drastic toll tax hike after Governor Pritzker and his far-left allies pushed through the South Beloit toll tax.
Back in the spring of last year, I warned that Chicago Democrats would eventually look for a bailout to prop up their failing transit system. Instead of fixing years of mismanagement, they chose the easiest option: make downstate and suburban Illinois pay the price.
So how did they “solve” Chicago’s transit crisis? They pinned it on us here in the 45th District.
Here’s how this so-called transit fix will hurt our communities:
- Approximately $550 million per year will be redirected away from local roads, bridges, and transportation projects in rural and suburban Illinois and sent straight to Chicago.
- $80 million will be diverted directly from the State Road Fund to support Chicago’s transit system.
- A 45-cent toll increase per vehicle will raise costs for commuters statewide, disproportionately impacting districts like ours that rely on longer tollway stretches.
Once again, Governor JB Pritzker’s tax-hungry administration is gorging itself on your hard-earned dollars, devouring funds meant for local roads and bridges while clawing even more out of drivers’ pockets at the tolls.
I voted no on the South Beloit toll tax. Illinois families deserve accountability, not another bailout for Chicago politicians who refuse to fix their own problems. It’s time to call out this governor for overtaxing our communities and siphoning money away from the districts that keep this state moving.
Chesney: Pritzker Is a Reckless Political Climber
Following comments by Governor JB Pritzker (D-Destruction) indicating he would direct Illinois State Police to assist with an investigation into an ICE-involved shooting in Minneapolis, State Senator Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) issued the following statement:
“Any loss of life is tragic, and no one should celebrate death. This incident is a stark warning about the dangers of reckless and unlawful behavior.
“American law enforcement agents put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe, hunting down the most dangerous hardened criminals hiding out in our cities. These agents have been the target of vehicle ramming incidents at the hands of radicals who are emboldened by hateful and misleading rhetoric from political actors like Governor Pritzker.
“I stand with our law enforcement officers and ICE agents who put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities. The Governor’s decision to send the Illinois State Police to investigate an incident in another state is absurd and shows his priorities: personal political ambition and the inflammatory rhetoric he has become famous for.
“I also want to reaffirm my opposition to policies that prevent cooperation between local, state, and federal law enforcement. The lack of coordination created by laws like the TRUST Act only makes situations more dangerous. For the safety of both officers and the public, Governor Pritzker should repeal the TRUST Act before more lives are lost.”
Illinois’ Mismanagement Triggers $10 Billion Funding Freeze
Following a widespread child welfare fraud investigation in Minnesota, the Trump Administration has frozen $10 billion in federal child care and family assistance funding to five Democrat-led states.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cited serious concerns about widespread fraud and the misuse of taxpayer dollars within state-administered programs as the reason for the freeze.
My heart goes out to the families here in the 45th District who are now facing uncertainty because of this decision. They are paying the price for years of corruption, mismanagement, and a culture of irresponsibility pushed by Democrat politicians across the country.
This didn’t happen in a vacuum. Illinois now faces federal scrutiny because Governor Pritzker’s administration has spent years mismanaging taxpayer dollars. By shifting tens of millions between programs and using emergency supplemental appropriations to deal with illegal immigration, his administration erased clear funding boundaries and created legitimate questions about whether federal money was spent properly.
I am calling on the Governor and the radical left politicians who enabled this dysfunction to cooperate fully with the Trump Administration, identify those responsible, pursue prosecution where warranted, and restore trust in these programs so critical funds can be released as quickly as possible.
