House Republican Week in Review – Crime, Property Taxes, Halloween & More

VETO SESSION
It's a Spooky Season for Spending in Illinois. Last month, Governor JB Pritzker issued an Executive Order calling for 4% across-the-board budget cuts in response to projected deficit spending. But let's be clear, he didn't need an Executive Order to balance Illinois' budget. What he needed was the discipline to do his job.

Pritzker's directive required state agencies to submit plans for spending cuts and reserve management within 30 days. Today, the time is up and no such cuts have been announced. While the Governor has pointed to the federal government as a source of Illinois' budget challenges, the State's fiscal woes are far from new.

"This was never about fiscal responsibility, it was about poking at Donald Trump and grabbing headlines," said House Minority Leader Tony McCombie. "If the Governor was serious about fixing Illinois' finances, he wouldn't hide behind political theater. He would roll up his sleeves, lower spending, and enact real structural reforms to grow our tax base instead of shrinking our future."

The Governor's Office of Management and Budget recently projected deficits not only for this fiscal year, but for each of the next five years, continuing a troubling pattern of overspending, one-time revenue gimmicks, and broken promises of fiscal balance.

"We've seen this act before, empty orders, no follow-through, and more taxes on hardworking families," McCombie continued. "If he truly cared about our fiscal health, he'd stop chasing national headlines and start leading here at home."

Next week, lawmakers return to Springfield for the final week of veto session, where Democrats are already discussing new tax hikes to cover their overspending.

"House Republicans are focused on protecting Illinois taxpayers from the real horror, out-of-touch spending and bloated budgets," McCombie said. "Instead of political stunts, we're demanding accountability, transparency, and long-term relief. The scariest thing this season shouldn't be Illinois families' tax bills."

CRIME
FACT CHECK: Dangerous Criminals Roam Free Thanks to SAFE-T Act. Governor Pritzker went on Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier to claim he's keeping dangerous criminals off the streets. The reality in Illinois tells a very different story.

While the Governor talks tough on crime, his policies have done the opposite. Under the SAFE-T Act and other Democrat-backed changes, violent offenders are being released instead of held accountable. Illinois has become a revolving door for criminals, and families across the state are paying the price.

Just look at the facts:

o A Chicago woman charged with attacking police officers was released

o A Granite City man awaiting trial for rape was charged again with sexual assault

o A Rockford murder suspect was released before trial under Illinois' no-cash-bail system

o A Peoria Heights man accused of soliciting a child was freed before trial

o A Dolton shooting suspect was out on bond awaiting trial for murder

These are not isolated cases. They are the direct result of the SAFE-T Act, which prioritizes criminals over victims.

Illinois House Republicans are leading the effort to repeal the SAFE-T Act and restore public safety. House Bill 1028, filed by State Representative John Cabello, would repeal the law and bring back common-sense accountability to Illinois' criminal justice system.

Governor Pritzker's soft-on-crime agenda has made Illinois less safe. Until the SAFE-T Act is repealed, violent offenders will continue to walk free while victims and communities are left to suffer the consequences.

IMMIGRATION
McCombie: Accountability Commission is Another Taxpayer-Funded Political Stunt. In response to the Governor's latest Executive Order creating the Illinois Accountability Commission, Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie issued the following statement:

"Governor Pritzker's so-called Accountability Commission is just another taxpayer-funded political stunt. He claims he wants immigration reform, but his own open-border policies and expanded Trust Act tell a different story.

"He talks about truth and accountability, yet under his watch, over 1,200 children have died in DCFS care and thousands more have been injured - where is that accountability?

"At this point, the Governor's talking points are stale and predictable, the same tiring political theatrics to try and keep his name in the national spotlight. Illinoisans deserve a leader focused on results, not another headline or late-night soundbite."

POLITICAL RHETORIC
Governor Pritzker Can't Keep His Record Straight. Governor JB Pritzker spent his time with the Economic Club of Chicago this week rewriting history and attacking Republicans for "inflammatory rhetoric" while ignoring his own record of divisive comments, broken promises, and fiscal mismanagement.

In what's become a pattern for the Governor, his words simply don't match his actions. On Monday, Pritzker accused President Trump of fomenting "inflammatory rhetoric," without taking responsibility for his own record.

During his 2025 State of the State and Budget Address, Pritzker compared Republicans to Nazis, declaring:

"If you think I'm overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this: It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic."

In the months that followed, he went even further, urging supporters to take to the streets and disrupt his political opponents:

o March 2025: "What we really need is to become street fighters."

o April 2025: "These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace."

o April 2025: "Never before in my life have I called for mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption - but I am now."

The contradictions don't stop there. On the issue of redistricting, Pritzker campaigned on creating fair maps, promising voters he would veto any partisan gerrymandering. But once in office, he signed the most gerrymandered maps in the nation, earning an "F" from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project. And instead of showing remorse, he's now boasting about making them even more partisan. On The Bulwark Podcast, Pritzker said:

"Can we draw lines that look more like 15-2? We can."

When it comes to fiscal responsibility, Pritzker's spin is just as misleading. He touts "balanced budgets," yet state spending has skyrocketed nearly 40% since he took office. Alongside Democrats in the General Assembly, he's raised taxes on hardworking Illinois families and businesses.

And when Pritzker claims Republicans "no longer want to work with him," the truth is simple: Democrats shut Republicans out entirely during budget negotiations earlier this year, ramming through the largest spending plan in Illinois history with zero bipartisan input.

While Governor Pritzker talks about unity but governs with division, House Republicans continue to lead by example, fighting for fair maps, an honest budget process, and lower taxes for working families.

TAXES
Will Lawmakers Deliver on Property Tax Relief? Property taxes are high in Illinois, and failing policies championed by Democrats continue to make the situation worse. In fact, depending on the metric or the source that is cited, Illinois residents pay the highest or second-highest property tax rate in the nation. There are plenty of horror stories out there, including in the south and southwest suburbs in Cook County. Residents in these areas are dealing with exorbitant and devastating property tax increases year after year.

Many of the people affected by these historic property tax increases are in lower-income communities. Bad economic policies pushed by Democrats have created an environment of businesses either closing for good or moving elsewhere to greener pastures, shifting the tax burden to support schools and local governments on to residents. Homes are also being improperly assessed and overvalued, creating a vicious cycle of tax increases with no relief in sight.

As he seeks a third term in the Governor's office with an eye toward a run for the White House in 2028, Governor JB Pritzker has suddenly realized the overwhelming property tax problem Illinois has. Unfortunately, he's late to the party and his policies have caused this crisis. Higher taxes in Illinois are pushing businesses and residents out, and that trend is continuing. Those who remain are left to shoulder the burden even more.

Proposals being brought forth by Democrats, which could be considered during the current Veto Session, could make the current situation even worse! And that is unacceptable.

Pritzker is blaming high property taxes on a lack of investment in education in Illinois, and while that may be a part of the problem, what's needed is real reform and ideas brought to the table by people who understand what is going on. House Republicans have brought forth dozens of bills aimed squarely at attacking the property tax problems in Illinois, but Democrats refuse to acknowledge them. Bills and proposals fall on deaf ears at the committee level, and Republican ideas are never brought forth to the House Floor for consideration.

Bills related to delivering property tax reform and relief introduced by Republicans include:

· HB 2639 increases the General Homestead Exemption Amount.

· HB 2642 Improves the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.

· HB 2640 increases the low-income senior freeze.

· HB 1495 creates a property tax relief pilot program.

· HB 2641 creates a school district levy exemption for seniors.

· HB 1496 limits property assessment increases.

· HB 1321 provides that property tax collections in excess of 150 percent of the previous year's amounts be refunded to taxpayers.

State Representative Dan Ugaste has continuously pushed for property tax reforms. In addition to introducing HB 1321, Ugaste's HB 9 takes a common-sense approach. HB 9 would provide property tax relief to all Illinoisans while ensuring the state does not fall further behind on pension payments. The bill requires the state to set aside 25% of the budget (which can be realistically done), pay its statutory obligation for pensions, and send the rest to the school districts; then, for every dollar the district receives, it must lower its property tax levy on a dollar-for-dollar basis. In this fiscal year alone, HB9 would have lowered property taxes, which affect all Illinoisans whether they own property or not, by approximately $2.8 billion. The estimated savings over 21 years is nearly $82.4 billion.

Ideas and solutions like Rep. Ugaste's deserve to be heard and considered, but the majority party refuses to do its job while putting politics before good public policies. And while Democrats are focused on illegal immigration, bailing out public mass transit shortfalls, championing failing green energy policies that are driving up energy costs, and sparring with the federal government, House Republicans stand ready to implement better policies to help all Illinoisans.

It's interesting that during his seventh year in office, Governor Pritzker has finally admitted there is a property tax problem in Illinois. Solutions are out there, Governor. Democrats in Illinois have an opportunity during the current Veto Session to acknowledge Republican proposals that would help ALL Illinoisans, no matter their political affiliation. Sadly, the likely outcome is more of the same - politics over policy, and rhetoric over solutions.

VETERANS
New Illinois Veterans Home facility opens in Quincy. The new facility contains 290 living spaces for U.S. veterans and their spouses, including 80 independent living apartments and 210 beds for long-term care. These spaces can hold up to 467 veterans and their spouses. The facility accepts applicants who were honorably discharged from active duty in a branch of the United States armed services. The Illinois Veterans Home (Quincy) application form is available here.

Quincy is the largest of the five Illinois Veterans Home care facilities. Other facilities operate in Anna, Chicago, LaSalle, and Manteno. The facilities enable Illinois veterans from various locations within Illinois to have a residency space that is close to their friends and families.

The new $300 million Quincy Veterans Home became necessary after the old veterans' complex proved to be inadequate during a 2015 outbreak of Legionnaires' disease. A lengthy process of planning and building took place that involved the demolition of seven obsolete buildings. Residents have already begun moving into the new facility, which officially opened this week.

HALLOWEEN
Halloween Safety Tips. October 31st has long been recognized as a day for communities to come together to enjoy spooky fun. Today, Halloween remains one of the most popular holidays in the United States and is often spent visiting haunted houses, carving pumpkins, and trick-or-treating. In 2025, an estimated $13.1 billion will be spent on Halloween-related goods (a new record), with more than 70% of Americans planning to celebrate.

Though many embrace Halloween as a day filled with costumes, decorations, and candy, it can also pose dangers for those who do not know how to enjoy the holiday safely. Emergency room visits due to cuts from pumpkin carving, falls while trick-or-treating, and allergic reactions to peanuts all spike on the 31st, but can be avoided by taking necessary steps to protect yourself and your trick-or-treating partners.

To enjoy the holiday safely, consider the following tips:

o When picking out a costume, ensure its materials are flame-resistant.

o Make sure your costume fits properly to prevent tripping.

o Consider wearing non-toxic makeup instead of masks that can obscure your vision.

o Avoid wearing colored contact lenses unless you have a prescription.

o Do not let young children carry sharp items or long accessories such as swords which can cause injuries.

o Add your child's name, address, and your phone number to their candy baskets in case they get lost.

o If your children plan on trick-or-treating without an adult, create a buddy system, plan a walking route, and set a time when they should return home. Instruct them not to enter strangers' homes or cars and to call 9-1-1 in case of an emergency.

o Do not place candle-lit pumpkins near your doorstep. If you would like a jack-o-lantern on your porch, use a flameless light source.

o Do not allow young children to carve their own pumpkins.

o Check your treats to see if they are unwrapped, expired, or contain allergens.

Following these safety tips can prevent most accidental injuries, but other safety hazards are present on Halloween. With lots of excited children near roads and an increase in impaired drivers, October 31 remains one of the most dangerous days of the year for child pedestrians. These tragic accidents happen far too often on Halloween night; however, they are largely preventable by following a few additional safety tips.

"Trick or treating is right around the corner and there is so much excitement in the air for all the costumes and spooky fun," said State Representative Patrick Sheehan, who is also a police officer. "For the kids, remember to look both ways before crossing the street, and drivers, please be extra cautious so we can all enjoy a safe and happy Halloween."