By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Statehouse Republicans say it is time for Illinois Democrats to focus on growing the tax base instead of raising taxes.

Along with state Reps. Amy Elik, R-Alton, and Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, held a press conference at the Illinois Capitol on Wednesday.

McCombie said affordability cannot be just a political buzzword.

“If Democrats were serious about real affordability, they wouldn’t be focused on growing government revenue through higher taxes, they would be focused on growing Illinois’ tax base,” McCombie said.

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, said recently that state lawmakers would be focused on affordability issues during the 2026 legislative session.

House members held their first official meetings of the year on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Illinois Senate reconvened last week before adjourning until Feb. 3.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker held a roundtable discussion in Chicago on Tuesday and thanked participants for sharing stories about the impact of federal policies.

“The uncertainty and the actual funding being cut seem like they’re just having enormously deleterious effects on everyone, so I wanted to acknowledge that,” Pritzker said.

The governor said the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other federal initiatives can’t be fixed at the state level.

“SNAP is a good example, where it’s 100% federally funded,” Pritzker said, adding that SNAP is a multi-billion-dollar program.

Pritzker said President Donald Trump’s policies have been “destructive.”

Elik said Illinois is in trouble because of poor decisions by those in power at the state level.

Elik said Democratic Party policies are driving residents to find lower taxes and greater opportunities out of state.

“We see it every day in our border districts. People know that they can move just across the river and pay less for gas, groceries and property taxes, and many are making that choice,” Elik said.

Elik said Missouri lawmakers are working to eliminate the state income tax.

“That’s what leadership looks like,” Elik said.

Elik said Republicans were hopeful last fall, when Pritzker issued an executive order directing state agencies to find waste or redundancies.

“Instead, when we sought answers about their work through a (Freedom of Information Act) request, that request was denied. That’s not reform. That’s avoidance and political theater using official executive orders,” Elik said.

Elik said Illinois ranks last in fiscal transparency and earned an “F” from Truth in Accounting.

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