Peoria Standard

Rep. Ryan Spain speaks up about his dissatisfaction with the Democrats' way of handling inflation and other things in the state.

Spain is dissatisfied with the way Democrats have handled things so far and that they have shown only election-year gimmicks rather than doing those things that are actually beneficial for Illinois.

"Democrats should admit and we would work together to say Democrats have acted in haste with the passage of House Bill 3653, the SAFE-T Act. It has created tremendous damage to the community of law enforcement and criminal activity throughout the state of Illinois. We're just seeing the beginning because as the Democrats point out, again and again, many of the provisions of the SAFE-T Act have yet to take effect. So, just wait till we see things like the elimination of cash bail in January and the further difficulties and erosion of public safety that will take place in the state of Illinois. We need to be focused on these key issues: corruption, cost of living, crime -- and not election-year gimmicks and Democratic pork projects to secure the votes of their members and not meaningful reforms that we need to move our state forward," said Spain.

Republicans have been critical of the budget for Fiscal Year 2023 that Democrats put together from the get-go, with many being vocal about their disappointment with the budget.

"Today, Democrats passed a budget focused more on the upcoming election than the needs and responsibilities of the State. They wrote a bill to delay their gas tax increase, conveniently until after the election. They included delayed tax increases on businesses and cuts in unemployment benefits, conveniently until after the election. These taxes will be increased; the Democrats just wanted to ensure that it didn't happen before the election. This budget includes $1.6 billion in pork projects in Democrat-only legislative districts. These include all sorts of things like a 'pilot program' for a guaranteed minimum income for women in East St. Louis. This and all of the other projects amount to election-year bribes for their re-election, paid for by all Illinois taxpayers," Assistant Republican Leader CD Davidsmeyer said, WRSP reported.

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy also spoke on the budget saying, "Instead of permanent solutions for working families like real tax cuts and reduced spending, Democrats passed temporary election-year gimmicks, a massive increase in spending, and pay raises for politicians. In the face of record inflation and a crushing tax burden, Democrats gave taxpayers a handful of candy and told them to suck it up. They failed to provide real relief to taxpayers and all but guaranteed tax increases when the federal bailout money goes away."