Illinois #1 Least Tax-Friendly State For Middle Class
Instead of tax cuts for Illinoisans, Governor Pritzker and his Democrat surrogates recently filed new legislation calling for a progressive income tax scheme. Most of the country is moving toward flat income tax structures, but a renewed call for a progressive tax hike is bad news for Illinois.
The state will continue to lose population and businesses and lack competitiveness.
Mandated Paid Leave Signed Into Law
Governor Pritzker and his Democrat coalition placed yet another burden on Illinois businesses by forcing them to offer workers paid time off based on hours worked, with no need to explain the reason for their absence as long as they provide notice in accordance with reasonable employer standards.
Illinois is one of only three states dictating such a mandate.
While many of us agree that everyone deserves to have time-off, this bill assumes the worst of employers. In debate, no data was given about how many calloused employers refuse to give paid time off. Ignored was the fact that even in Illinois, numerous job opportunities exist so that workers can negotiate paid time off or move to a job that offers such. In many cases, workers piece together various jobs to create the flexibility they desire, but this bill would require even part-time workers to receive paid time-off. Exempted from the legislation were seasonal workers, federal employees, and college students who work non-full-time, temporary jobs for their university. It is curious that college students working at a university don’t get the benefit, but if they worked down the street at the pizza store, they would get paid time-off.
Future Of Cash Bail In Illinois In The Hands Of Supreme Court
Illinois passed a law that eliminated the use of cash bail starting on January 1, 2023 as part of the SAFE-T Act. Under the law judges could no longer require people to pay money in order to leave jail while they await trial. Prosecutors across the state filed lawsuits challenging the law’s constitutionality. After a lower court judge ruled in their favor, it was placed on hold until the Illinois Supreme Court could make a final decision.
PETTY PRITZKER
When asked a perfectly reasonable question about why judges who received a million dollars each from JB Pritzker for their campaigns should recuse themselves from decisions on the constitutionality of the SAFE-T Act and the assault weapons ban, Governor Pritzker brushed it off by saying, “I am sure this is something that the right wing is trying to stir up”.
Watch the video clip of his answer and his tone which also shows his disdain for the fair question:
Earth To Pritzker!
Back in January, Governor Pritzker traveled to Europe bragging about his landmark clean energy law which requires all fossil fuel-burning power plants in Illinois to shut down by 2045. But his signature legislative ‘triumph’ could backfire if he ignores warnings about its potential impact on electricity reliability. The electrical grid in northern Illinois (and all or part of 13 states to the east) warns that shutdowns of carbon-emitting power plants could leave the system without enough generating capacity to meet demand at peak times.
BLACKOUTS.
This should rattle not only Pritzker and the Illinois legislators who pushed this ill-conceived plan, but anybody who uses electricity in Illinois.
Civil War Era Soil Samples Found In U of I Barn
The University of Illinois found a very old collection of soil samples when they searched a barn that was slated to be torn down. The soil dates back to 1862, the second year of the Civil War. The collection includes rows and rows of jars with soil samples from all over the state, spanning hundreds of years. The discovery is very rare and almost unheard of since most soil collections go back only 30 to 40 years.
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Please call our office at 217.876.1968 to get help or schedule an appointment to see me.
The office is located at 715 W Imboden Dr, Decatur.