SPRINGFIELD – In the wake of Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposal for $1 billion in tax hikes, members of the Senate Republican Caucus are once again asking for greater fiscal transparency about the Pritzker Administration’s migrant crisis, so lawmakers have a clearer idea about how much is really being spent on state programs for noncitizens.

In other news, Republican Senators fought back against a gerrymandered school board map pushed by special interests and the Mayor of Chicago.

Also, women’s accomplishments and achievements are in the spotlight during the month of March.

Senate Republicans Push for Transparency on Noncitizen Spending

Gov. Pritzker’s noncitizen welfare policies have exhausted state resources and help create the largest migrant crisis in the Midwest. The Governor’s financial gimmicks and loopholes make it impossible to know exactly how many taxpayer dollars he has used to fund his migrant crisis. This lack of transparency is even more egregious considering Gov. Pritzker has proposed nearly $1 billion in tax hikes on Illinois families to continue to pay for the migrant crisis he created.

In response, State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley) is cosponsoring legislation to give Illinois taxpayers much-needed transparency on the migrant crisis Gov. Pritzker has created. Senate Bill 3170 would require the Illinois Department of Human Services to work with relevant State agencies, to prepare an annual report to the General Assembly identifying all state spending on services and resources for migrants. It would also be available to the public on the department’s website.

The report would include details of services and resources provided by various state entities, including but not limited to the State Board of Education, Department of Human Services, Department of Public Health, Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security, Department of Central Management Services, Department of Labor, and Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

The report is required to include the following information concerning expenditures:

• Total amount spent on noncitizen and asylum-seeking populations in the previous fiscal year.
• Specific appropriations authorizing the spending.
• Any transfers among line-item appropriations associated with noncitizen and asylum-seeking populations.
• Total number of families or individuals impacted by each service or resource.
• Funding sources of the service or resource.
• Contracts awarded to organizations providing services or resources in various categories such as emergency shelter, food, health screenings, legal services, job readiness support, enrollment in public schools, long-term housing, mental health assessments, and other related spending.

Further, the legislation requires the Governor to include a detailed accounting of all proposed spending on noncitizen populations in future state budgets, providing an additional layer of transparency to the people of Illinois.

Senator Syverson says the people of Illinois deserve to know how much of their tax dollars are being spent on migrant services, especially when the Governor is trying to raise their taxes by $1 billion.

The Feb. 7 press conference discussing this new legislation can be viewed HERE. Say NO to Gov. Pritzker’s tax hikes by signing Senator Syverson’s petition at https://senatordavesyverson.com/say-no-to-tax-hikes-petition/ .

Republicans Push Back Against Another Gerrymandered Map

This week, Senate Republicans stood up against the unfair process of gerrymandering by unanimously voting against legislation to enact a gerrymandered Chicago School Board map favored by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and his special interest allies. Senate Republican members heard from concerned parents and Chicago community activists who testified against a map that they said empowered special interests instead of Chicago students, especially those from minority communities. The witnesses raised concerns about a lack of transparency in the map process that they believe will disenfranchise voters in their community.

Senate Republicans also joined opponents in voicing concerns about the influence that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other special interests had in the map process. 

Senator Syverson says he supports maps drawn by independent commissions as they do in many other states, rather than politicians influenced by special-interest groups.

March is Women’s History Month

March is designated to acknowledge and commemorate the many great achievements made by women. This month-long celebration is also used to inspire and encourage the next generation of female history makers.

In 1982, Congress requested that President Ronald Reagan declare Women’s History Week as the second week in March. The idea of expanding this to Women’s History Month was petitioned to Congress by the National Women’s History Alliance in 1987.

Lottie Holman O’Neill, a Republican, was the first woman elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 1922. She served a total of 40 years, and her service has been commemorated with a statue in the Rotunda of the Illinois State Capitol. The Senate Republican Caucus was the first caucus in Illinois to elect a woman to its highest position, with former Senator Christine Radogno serving as Minority Leader from 2009 to 2017.

Find ways to celebrate women-owned business in Illinois by visiting the Enjoy Illinois website at https://www.enjoyillinois.com/travel-illinois/how-to-celebrate-womens-history-month-in-illinois/