MARION – On Thursday, Republican legislators representing Senate and Legislative districts in Southern Illinois joined with several local Chambers of Commerce for the annual Regional Chamber of Commerce Legislative Summit. State Senator Terri Bryant, State Representative Dave Severin, State Representative Patrick Windhorst, and State Representative Paul Jacobs each made presentations on the state of affairs in Illinois government.
Senator Bryant focused on the summer energy cost crisis and problems with drugs infiltrating the Illinois Department of Corrections.
“First, I want folks to know that there is a direct line that can be drawn from the lack of electricity being generated in southern Illinois to the cost they are paying for their electricity bills. We must increase our capacity, repeal harmful policies that have caused our coal-fired power plants to close, and make Illinois an importer of energy again,” Bryant said. “I am also keenly aware of the major crisis the infiltration of drugs and contraband into our correctional facilities is having. The dangerous policies of the Pritzker administration have led to the death and injury of both correctional employees and inmates. We have to stop this.”
Rep. Severin also highlighted the issues southern Illinois businesses and working families are facing with higher electricity bills and his legislation to repeal the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act.
“I have called for hearings into the very real problem we have with high prices in this state. My calls for hearings were ignored by the Democrats, but I’m not stopping there,” Rep. Severin said. “I have introduced legislation that would study how electricity generation could be back online quickly to ease the supply and demand crisis, and I have introduced legislation to fully repeal the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. If we do nothing, we will see higher and more unaffordable rates in the future.”
Rep. Windhorst offered his congratulations to local entities for positive economic developments and capital improvements.
“We have serious problems with high taxes and with outmigration in our state, there is no doubt,” Windhorst said. “However, places like SIH have recently broken ground on an expansion of the Mulberry Center in Harrisburg, and John A. Logan College and Southeastern Illinois College continue to expand their career and technical education services and infrastructure. Organizations such as SI Now are doing great things to promote economic development in the entire region.”
Rep. Jacobs discussed a slew of new tax increases and possible tax hike proposals that have been passed and offered by Illinois Democrats to attempt to balance a budget that keeps growing to historic levels.
“What we have seen are increased taxes that continue to put pressure on families that are already cash-strapped in order to pay for the Democrats’ record-spending budgets. This has happened year after year since Governor Pritzker took office,” Jacobs said. “One tax to keep your eye on in the coming October Veto Session is the $1.50 delivery tax. It stalled this spring, but in Springfield, no tax increase is ever off limits with the current administration and the politicians running state government.”
The annual event welcomes local legislators and Chambers of Commerce from throughout the southern Illinois region.
