Peoria Standard

The Republican members of the House Revenue and Finance Committee in Illinois have expressed their willingness to work with Democratic lawmakers to enhance the state's economic competitiveness. State Representatives Jeff Keicher, Joe Sosnowski, and Travis Weaver urged the Illinois General Assembly to focus on state-level policies that benefit families and small businesses.

Democratic committee members have attributed economic pressures to federal actions, particularly tariff policies. However, the Republican representatives assert that Illinois' economic challenges have persisted for decades due to local policies. They emphasize that "Illinois lawmakers should take ownership of the policies within our control,” citing issues such as regulations, tax increases, and anti-business legislation.

The state's performance in housing development, property taxes, pension liabilities, outmigration, and unemployment has been lacking. For instance, Illinois has seen a meager 3.4 percent growth in housing units between 2013 and 2023, only surpassing West Virginia and Michigan. Additionally, the state maintains the second-highest property tax rate nationally, faces significant pension liabilities, ranks third in outmigration, and holds the seventh-highest unemployment rate.

The Republicans concluded by encouraging state lawmakers to "focus on cooperating with the federal government and enacting policies to lower taxes and strengthen our economy at home."