It has been another busy week of work throughout the district and on the farm. It has also been a busy week of new laws being signed. The Governor has signed over 100 bills and there are hundreds more pending his signature. Today I’ll highlight some of the bills introduced by House Republicans that were not allowed to be called for a vote.
Legislative Update
This time of year, after the legislature adjourns for the year, you hear a lot about the new laws that are going into effect. However, the bills that are not allowed to be voted on do not get the attention they deserve. When I talk to residents of our district – their concerns include corruption, high taxes, high electricity costs, and election integrity. None of these topics were meaningfully addressed in this legislative session.
The majority may not have taken up these issues, but House Republicans proposed common sense proposals in all of these areas. Today, I’ll highlight our proposals to bring down the tax burden and cost of living for Illinois families.
House Republicans introduced a package of over 30 bills this year to bring down the tax burden for Illinois families. None of these bills were ever allowed to be brought up for a vote. These bills ranged from practical tax cuts like a bill I co-sponsored to remove taxes on school supplies for a week every year, increasing ethanol blends to bring down the cost of fuel, cutting regulation to bring down the cost of electrical bills, reasserting our opposition to a retirement tax, and cutting mandates to bring down the costs on small businesses. I’m going to give you a closer look at some of the bills in this package.
Two of the bills in this package reform and repeal our estate tax in Illinois. Illinois is one of just a handful of states that still have an estate tax, or a “death tax.” It is a graduated tax that goes up to 16% depending on the size of the estate. The problem is that for very wealthy families, they are able to pay sophisticated tax attorneys who make plans for them to avoid the estate tax. So, it is often small business owners and farmers who are stuck paying this tax, often selling off part of the business or the farm to meet their tax obligations. One main problem with this tax is that the threshold for this tax to apply is much lower than the federal threshold. To fix this, I co-sponsored House Bill 1459 which raises the threshold to the federal level, and House Bill 1582 that gets rid of the tax altogether.
Another way of providing taxpayers relief is to make sure they get the money that they are owed in a timely manner. House Bill 3169, a bill I co-sponsored, would require the State of Illinois to pay taxpayers their tax returns in a timely manner. Even this common sense legislation was not allowed to be called for a vote.
Finally, to truly provide long lasting tax relief in Illinois, we must curb the out-of-control spending in Illinois. That is why I am co-sponsoring House Bill 2986 to cap state spending. It only makes sense. The growth of state spending should not outpace the natural growth of revenue in Illinois.
Even though these bills were not allowed to be voted on in Springfield, I will keep fighting for the common sense proposals that will provide tax relief for Illinois families.
June is Dairy Month
We proudly are home to many dairy farms in our area. As we celebrate Dairy Month, make sure to pick up some local and delicious dairy products like ice cream, yogurt, cheese, or a glass of cold milk.
Congratulations to Illinois 4-H Winners
“Nobody works harder than a 4-H volunteer or a 4-H member, and the Illinois 4-H Alumni Association has recognized several individuals with its 2023 awards. The winners will be honored Aug. 11-13, during the Illinois State Fair.” Read more here:
Happy Flag Day!
246 years ago yesterday, Old Glory was adopted as the official flag of our great nation. Since its adoption, the American flag has proudly served as a symbol of freedom around the world. Happy Flag Day!
This Week on the Farm:
I donated blood in Nashville. If you are willing to, please check out the Red Cross’s website to find an opportunity near you to donate.
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