CONTACT:
Gwen Pepin
[email protected]
Chicago, IL—As Illinois Republicans continue to mislead the public about the work of Illinois Democrats, let’s set the record straight:
Economy
Under Republican leadership, Illinois was crushed by eight credit downgrades, $17 billion in overdue bills, and two years without a state budget. Under today’s Democratic leadership, Illinois has experienced six years of fiscal progress that have gained Illinois nine credit rating upgrades, six balanced budgets, and a Rainy Day Fund that surpasses $2 billion. This year, Illinois implemented tax adjustments to support public services and infrastructure. The state also eliminated the 1% sales tax on groceries to alleviate financial burdens on working families.
With each of the last six balanced budgets, Illinois has demonstrated that investing in people, infrastructure, and the future is possible, all while being fiscally responsible and improving the state’s economy.
Education
This year’s signed budget includes a new child tax credit, designates a $350 million annual increase for K-12 education, $14 million for a new Department of Early Childhood–which will focus exclusively on early childhood programs and services for young children–demonstrating a commitment to the state’s youth and future.
Crime
The misinformation about the SAFE-T Act has been monumental. Here’s the truth: Our system used to allow people to be released from jail if they had the money for bail. The SAFE-T Act removes money as a factor while allowing judges to detain offenders they deem to be a threat.
After one year since the Act was passed, the early data shows that the law saves Illinois families $140 million and that violent crime and property crime did not increase in the months after the law’s passage. Our system used to allow offenders to be released from jail if they had money, but the SAFE-T act eliminated offenders’ ability to pay the cash bail to go free. Under the new system, judges are allowed to detain offenders if they are a threat to public safety.
Democratic National Convention
While Chicago shined and Illinois Democrats were sure to emphasize the various neighborhoods that make the city vibrant, the DNC brought $321 million to Chicago’s economy, supported 3,211 jobs, including the creation of 2,000 jobs, and drew in about $140 million more than the last DNC held fully in-person in 2016.
Immigration
Illinois is doing its part to address a humanitarian crisis caused largely in-part by politically-motivated and cruel stunts from Republican governors. Democrats believe in treating all people with dignity, and we are committed to managing resources responsibly while advocating for comprehensive federal immigration reform. Meanwhile, Trump and his MAGA allies are preparing plans for racially-motivated mass deportations.
Democratic leadership
While the Illinois GOP may cling to Donald Trump’s divisive politics, the Democratic Party of Illinois has shown that our state will not go backward. November’s down-ballot wins demonstrate how strategic organizing and coordination through Organize Illinois 2024 made a critical difference for Democrats across the state. By protecting key seats and making impactful gains in county and local races, the Party surpassed expectations and outperformed previous cycles, including 2016, despite facing significant headwinds at the top of the ticket. Not even in 2016 did Democrats perform as strongly down-ballot relative to the national line, and the Party is proud of the work done to achieve this success.
Bottom line
Far too often, the IL GOP weaponizes the very real concerns of working families–concerns like feeding and protecting their families—to disguise what they truly fight for: bigotry and their freedom to be a MAGA crony.
Illinois Democrats remain committed to progress and inclusion.
