Sangamon Sun

Illinois House Republicans have criticized proposals to raise taxes by $6 billion, targeting progressive interest groups and Governor JB Pritzker's political rhetoric. State Representative Mike Coffey expressed concern over the state's spending habits, urging a reevaluation of expenditures on programs for non-citizens amid a budget deficit.

At a news conference, Deputy Republican Leader Norine Hammond and others labeled the proposed tax hikes as "outrageous and unacceptable." The Illinois Revenue Alliance has suggested these increases despite previous voter rejection of a similar amendment in 2020. Hammond criticized the proposed estate tax hike, arguing it would burden family farmers.

Assistant Republican Leader Amy Elik questioned why state agencies haven't offered budget cuts instead of relying on new taxes. She emphasized that Illinois families are already struggling with high costs.

Governor Pritzker has been campaigning nationally, which has drawn criticism from Republicans like C.D. Davidsmeyer for his comments about political violence. Tony McCombie, Illinois House Minority Leader, also condemned Pritzker's rhetoric as dangerous.

In energy news, electricity bills in central and southern Illinois are expected to rise significantly this summer due to increased capacity prices reported by MISO. Ameren warned customers of a potential 50% increase in electricity costs compared to last summer.

In healthcare, many Illinois hospitals have received high national rankings from Leapfrog for seamless care delivery. The state improved its overall ranking from 30th to 20th among U.S. states.

A recent study highlighted four Illinois cities—Rockford, Chicago, Peoria, and Champaign-Urbana—as having some of the highest property tax rates in the country according to Attom's analysis.