In this issue:
- Election integrity legislation filed
- Illinois to issue $1.7 billion in bonds this month
- October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- Illinois headlines
Election integrity legislation filed
House Bill 5887 was filed last week to help ensure the integrity of Illinois elections by requiring that people registering to vote show proof of citizenship. I am one of the 14 Republican co-sponsors of this bill.
Article III, Section 1 of our state Constitution is clear on this point, stating that “Every United States Citizen” who has turned 18 and been an Illinois resident for 30 days shall have the right to vote. This legislation just requires that registrars ensure that everyone they register is in fact eligible.
Voter integrity and election security are the cornerstones of a functioning democracy, and this bill is a proactive step toward ensuring them both. We need to make sure that every vote is legitimately cast and counted. This is a way to restore some of the trust and confidence in our electoral process.
Illinois to issue $1.7 billion in bonds this month
Although Illinois has higher tax rates than most other states, the revenue produced by those taxes is not enough to meet the overall spending approved by Governor Pritzker and statehouse Democrats last spring. However, the state Constitution requires that the budget be balanced every year.
To make up the difference the state rolls over its existing debts and borrows new money each year. This month the state will sell as much as $1.7 billion in bonds. General obligation bonds are debt that references the full faith and credit of the state and its taxpayers. The bonds will be sold in New York this month. They represent additional debts being imposed on Illinois taxpayers. The bonds come with a signed pledge by the state that it will not refund any new debt before October 2033, meaning that taxpayers are on the hook for interest on the bonds for the next nine years. Even if interest rates drop during that time, the state will not be able to pay off many of these new bonds before then.
State spending has increased by more than $13 billion over the past four years, which has made moves like this more necessary. This is one of the reasons I voted against this year’s record-setting $53 billion budget. We should not spend money we do not have.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a time to stand united against all forms of domestic violence. Let’s come together to break the silence, support survivors, and advocate for change.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by texting START to 88788.
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 $2,313,862,966. This figure changes daily. Last year at this time the state had $2.1 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
Endangered salamander mussel found alive in Illinois after nearly 120 years
Illinois archery deer season is underway
IDFPR and Illinois Attorney General warn of new scam targeting student loan borrowers