Peoria Standard

Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, alongside Deputy Leaders Norine Hammond and Ryan Spain, addressed the media today to highlight concerns over recent tax proposals and the impending fiscal year 2026 budget deadline. As the spring legislative session nears its conclusion, these Republican lawmakers have voiced their opposition to what they perceive as detrimental financial policies.

Rep. Spain emphasized vigilance among Illinois residents, stating that Republicans intend to act as a barrier against proposed tax increases by Democrats. "House Republicans would stand as a blockade to fight Democrat tax increases," he asserted.

With only a week remaining in the legislative session, several critical issues are yet to be resolved. The lawmakers pointed out several areas of concern:

- The absence of relief for residents burdened by high state taxes.

- Allocation of taxpayer funds towards health benefits for undocumented immigrants while vulnerable citizens face hardships.

- The impact of "green" energy policies resulting in rate hikes, job losses, and reduced energy generation capacity.

- Public safety concerns stemming from perceived deficiencies in the SAFE-T Act.

- A pressing need for ethics reforms to combat public corruption.

According to Rep. Spain and his colleagues, Democrats are focused on increasing revenue without implementing necessary structural reforms. They argue this approach will not alleviate the struggles faced by Illinois residents.

The Republican leaders vowed not to support any budget that includes tax hikes and pledged continued efforts to challenge policies they consider harmful during this budget season and beyond. They committed themselves as defenders of taxpayers' interests and transparency for Illinoisans.