VETO SESSION
Democrats play political games rather than focusing on problems facing Illinoisans
The Illinois General Assembly convened last week in Springfield for its fall veto session. Instead of focusing on the serious problems facing Illinoisans, House Democrats chose to focus on partisan political resolutions.
On Wednesday, House Democrats introduced and passed a series of sham resolutions that attacked the Trump Administration, law enforcement, and Republicans in general. In the meantime, no substantive action was taken on Chicagoland’s mass transit fiscal cliff, soaring energy prices, taxes or the high cost of living.
After the end of legislative veto session Wednesday in the Illinois House of Representatives, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie issued the following statement:
“Today, we witnessed yet another relentless barrage of partisan hypocrisy, filled with finger-pointing at the federal government instead of confronting the many important issues at home. While Illinois families are struggling with soaring costs and growing distrust in their leaders, Illinois Democrats are wasting time and taxpayer dollars to play political games.
“With only four legislative days remaining, Speaker Welch and the House Democrats are negotiating tax hikes and a new green energy giveaway package behind closed doors, while play acting on the House floor to distract from it.
After the final resolution had passed, I suggested from the floor that during the next week of Veto Session we have hearings on issues that will help the people of Illinois, such as property taxes. I invited them to call my bill, HB 9, which would provide billions of dollars of property tax relief for a hearing; and if not, call anyone else’s bill that will provide property tax relief. To date, I have no indication that my bill addressing sky high property taxes, or anyone else’s bills, will be called when we return next week.
Illinois House Republicans urge Democrats to cut political rhetoric
Illinois House Republicans are urging Democrats to reduce political rhetoric and focus on legislative work, following a contentious resolution condemning political violence.
The resolution, which passed along party lines with a 74 to 34 vote, included references to recent immigration enforcement actions in Chicago, which Republicans argued were unnecessarily divisive.
“The purely political talk that we saw yesterday does not make things better for our constituents. It was an effort to divide this House and to keep it divided. We have to figure out a better way to move forward for the people of Illinois. Illinois is not getting better this way. It’s not getting safer,” said Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer.
Republicans expressed concern that the focus on political rhetoric is detracting from addressing key issues such as taxes, energy, and transit, which they believe are more pressing for Illinois residents.
Illinois House GOP argue lawmakers need to lower taxes, cut spending
Republicans are upset the Illinois House left Springfield on Thursday without passing meaningful bills to help taxpayers.
House GOP leaders say they oppose Gov. JB Pritzker’s idea to not follow provisions of President Donald Trump’s budget to help address the state’s $267 million budget deficit.
Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) told reporters that decoupling from tax incentives included in recent federal law will damage and hurt the ability of manufacturers to choose Illinois for investments and expansion.
“Because of the policies that continue to chase Illinoisans away, which are the nickel and dime taxes currently being proposed by the governor and Democrats, we are going to continue to see fewer and fewer people left to hold the burden, paying more, and developing an exit strategy from Illinois,” Keicher said.
Republicans said Illinois needs to make it easier for people to choose to live in the state by reducing their tax burden.
ENERGY
Soaring electricity prices hurting Illinois families
The utility bills paid by Illinoisans soared during the summer of 2025. The monthly bad news coincided with the shutdowns of many Illinois coal mines and coal-burning power plants. Electricity is an essential commodity and suppliers licensed to sell electricity in Illinois were compelled to buy peak-load power supplies through a limited number of interstate grids that sold electricity to Illinois from generating plants located outside this state. In late spring 2025, these grid-based power prices helped to push up prices for all Illinoisans.
This is occurring despite the fact that we have the technology to burn coal cleanly (two Illinois power plants use technology touted by the Obama-Biden administration as the new way to produce clean electricity.) We also have access to abundant natural gas resources. It is only the current energy policies in this state that is keeping Illinois from having more cheap and reliable energy.
As prices soared, Illinois electric utilities and suppliers made vague promises that power customers might enjoy some relief with the cooler days of fall. However, now that fall 2025 is here and many air conditioners have been turned off, power prices remain very high.
Furthermore, Ameren Illinois, a dominant player in the market in many Downstate Illinois locations, asserts that they expect to charge even higher prices in summer 2026 than they billed in summer 2025. The year-over-year price for summertime electricity in the Ameren Illinois service area is expected to go up from 12.9 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) to 13.9 cents per kWh.
GAMBLING
Sports wagering, video gaming take center stage in Illinois gaming picture
The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA), which reviews Illinois gambling trends, recently reported on gaming trends in FY25 (ended June 30, 2025). Continued growth in video gaming, now supplemented with fast-growing revenues in sports wagering, has made these high-tech sectors of the Illinois gambling industry the largest revenue generators in Illinois. In addition to delivering gaming experiences to players and revenues to licensed providers, these two sectors generated $1,251 million in FY25 tax revenue to the State.
Video gaming is carried out through electronic terminals sited in private locations, such as taverns and gas stations. Sports wagering is largely carried out through smartphone apps. Both gaming systems use modern technology to generate instant feedback for gamers. For example, a player of “Tier 2” sports wagers can place bets on outcomes within the overall context of a sports game.
By contrast, other forms of gambling are not growing so fast in Illinois in 2025. The sale of Lottery tickets by the Illinois State Lottery and its private partner generated $789 million in net revenue in FY25. Most of this net revenue was funneled to Illinois school funds; but Lottery takings have been flat since 2013 – twelve years ago – in an overall context of inflation and falling money values. Taxes on casinos returned $186 million to the State of Illinois in 2025, a net decline from levels reached almost thirty years ago in 1996. Continued declines in Illinois horse racing have reduced the net State take from horse bets to only $7 million in FY25.
As they represent fast-growing revenue streams, video gaming and sports betting are vulnerable to changes in law enacted by revenue-hungry factions within Illinois state government. In May 2024, General Assembly Democrats voted to enact tax hikes on video gaming and sports wagering; and in May 2025, Democrats voted to enact another tax hike on sports wagering. House Republicans did not support these tax increases.
IMMIGRATION
Pritzker Defends Protesters, Wants to Prosecute Federal Agents
While federal law enforcement faces attacks from violent protesters, Governor Pritzker continues to call them “peaceful” and is now suggesting federal officers should be prosecuted.
This week, protesters were seen clashing with both federal law enforcement and Chicago police, even throwing rocks at officers. It’s another clear display of violence from the very groups the Governor has repeatedly defended as “peaceful.”
These protesters have taken his calls to be “street fighters” to heart. And instead of condemning the escalating attacks, Governor Pritzker has doubled down, calling for the prosecution of federal law enforcement officers for doing their jobs.
His comments follow Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson referring to law enforcement as a “sickness,” rhetoric the Governor has refused to condemn. Rather than standing with officers, he’s siding with those who antagonize them.
While the Governor and Illinois Democrats work to tie the hands of law enforcement, House Republicans are taking action. In the current General Assembly, they have filed 41 bills to improve public safety, support law enforcement, and protect innocent victims. This includes a repeal of the Trust Act, which if repealed would allow federal law enforcement to pick up criminals who are here illegally at our prisons and jails and not have to search for them on the street.
Governor Pritzker’s attacks on law enforcement send the wrong message. It’s time for him to stand with those who keep our communities safe, not the people throwing rocks at them.
JOBS
Stellantis firmly commits to reopen Belvidere Assembly plant
The Boone County auto assembly complex, historically used to build Chrysler cars and Jeep light trucks, moved over to international auto giant Stellantis with the rest of FiatChrysler in January 2021. Although the complex gets superb logistical support from Interstate 90 and the Union Pacific Railroad, the plants became inactive in February 2023. Since then, Illinois and national interest groups have held talks with Stellantis to get the plant complex re-tooled and returned to operational status.
Stellantis has responded to this push with a stated commitment to reopen the complex, but up until this week the pledges lacked specificity. On Tuesday, October 14, the motor vehicle maker told Illinoisans that as part of their overall $13 billion program to resume industrial investment in the U.S., they now plan to invest $600 million in the Belvidere complex. The re-tooling investment will enable the plant network to begin to product two Jeep SUV models, one of Stellantis’s most profitable offerings. The reopened assembly plant is expected to support 3,300 Illinois jobs.
The Stellantis pledge to engage in factory investment in the U.S. came after the President and the White House took action to entice international businesses to move production to the U.S.
SENIORS
Open Enrollment can be a challenge, but IL Department on Aging offers resources
Illinois senior citizens who have enrolled in Medicare are required to re-up their Medicare participation plans during the annual Open Enrollment period. The Open Enrollment Period, which began on October 15, 2025, and extends through December 7, 2025, gives eligible seniors a window of time to compare health offerings and drug plan options and to choose the one that is best for them.
Seniors often have complex prescription plans and significant co-pay requirements. It can be a major effort for seniors to choose the plan that is best for them. The Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) has posted a fact sheet, with links to databases with needed information. IDoA’s Medicare enrollment help centers on the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP), a State program that maintains an information website. SHIP partners with local health departments and Area Agencies on Aging to offer face-to-face counseling and advice to enrollees who make appointments for counseling. A list of local offices that offer SHIP counseling can be found here.