In this issue:
- Free paper shredding event coming up Saturday morning
- Collecting food for our food pantries
- Visit to LyondellBasell in Morris and Nucor Tubular in Marseilles
- State revenue was almost flat in August
Free paper shredding event coming up Saturday morning
Tomorrow morning, I will be hosting a FREE shred truck event in Gilman. We will be at the Ford-Iroquois Farm Bureau office, located at 1381 S. Crescent Street in Gilman from 9 a.m. until noon.
This is an opportunity to safely and securely shred your old, confidential documents. It is a drive-up event, so you do not even have to get out of your car: just pull up and we will unload and shred your documents. My staff and I will be on hand to answer questions about state government or provide information about state programs.
Collecting food for our food pantries
In honor of September being declared “Hunger Action Month” alongside our shred truck event, we will be collecting non-perishable food items for our local food pantries. Far too many of our neighbors deal with food insecurity. You can help by supporting our local food pantries, which do such good work helping those in need in our local communities.
For more information on Saturday’s events, please call my office at (779) 218-3070.
Visit to LyondellBasell in Morris and Nucor Tubular in Marseilles
A few days ago, we met with the folks at LyondellBasell in Morris. LyondellBasell is a global leader in innovation and is very proud to be at the forefront of advancements in the world of chemistry.
They consistently develop extraordinary, high-quality chemicals, polymers, fuels, and technologies. They also give back to their local communities through many different programs.
Randy and I recently visited Nucor Tubular in Marseilles.
Nucor is North America’s largest steel producer and recycler of any material. They produce more than one-quarter of the total steel made in the United States! They are one of the world’s cleanest and most efficient steelmakers – and they are located right here in the 106th district.
Thank you for allowing us to visit!
State revenue was almost flat in August
According to the latest monthly revenue report from the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, the state’s nonpartisan fiscal watchdog, state revenues were up by only 1.5% in August 2024 compared to August 2023. The increase is largely cancelled out because inflation has caused prices and services to rise by far more than 1.5%.
Receipts from personal income taxes fell by $54 million compared to a year ago, while some other revenue sources showed slight increases. Income tax revenues are, of course, tied to paychecks and the overall employment picture in the state. Since last year, unemployment in Illinois has increased from 4.4% last summer to 5.2% today. The increase in joblessness appears to be having an impact on income tax revenues.
Our current bill backlog
When a vendor provides the state with goods and services, they submit the bill to the Illinois Comptroller for payment. The Comptroller processes the paperwork and pays the bill when funds are available in the state’s checking account. Currently the total amount of unpaid bills is $2,296,355,292. This figure changes daily. Last year at this time the state had $1.7 billion in bills awaiting payment. This only includes bills submitted to the Comptroller for payment, not unfunded debts like the state’s pension liability, which is well over $100 billion.
Illinois headlines
Illinois’ Argonne National Laboratory to lead national energy storage hub
How much of Illinois is covered by corn fields?
Illinois Commerce Commission encourages Illinoisans to utilize FCC Lifeline program
IDNR announces bidding for 2025-2029 agricultural leases will begin this fall
Did you get your kicks on Route 66?
2024 Illinois grain tour hosts international buyers from nine countries