Illinois State House District 41 issued the following announcement on Feb. 26.
Rep. Wehrli Rejects Pritzker Decision to Tie Budget Funds to Graduated Income Tax Hike
On February 19, Governor JB Pritzker introduced a recommended Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) budget that increased operational expenses by $2.2 billion. Rather than presenting a balanced budget based on record-high state revenues, the Governor presented a proposal that was by his own admission, unbalanced. He tied $1.4 million in spending for FY21 to the passage of his graduated income tax proposal. In this effort to push his personal political agenda, Pritzker withheld- pending voter action on his tax hike plan- important funding in key budget areas, like schools, health care and public safety.
With regard to schools, the Governor specifically recommended holding back $150 million in funds for the evidence-based school funding formula and an additional $40 million for mandated categorical payments for school special education and transportation. The result is that less funding would be available to help close the equity gap for schools. It was irresponsible and unnecessary. If you would like to sign a petition to urge the Governor not to tie budget funds to his political agenda, click here.
Through his self-serving actions, the Governor has put schools in an impossible situation. There will be no certainty on the funding that schools will receive from the state. Because school district levies and budgets must be finalized before the outcome of the graduated income tax Constitutional Amendment is known, school leaders will be forced to delay hiring decisions and possibly increase property taxes.
The responsible thing to do would have been to introduce a budget that gives schools and taxpayers certainty. The Pritzker budget does neither. With record revenues coming into the state, it is possible to sit down and craft a bipartisan budget that meets the minimum funding levels without any new taxes and without a reliance on Governor Pritzker’s graduated income tax proposal.
Wehrli Joins WGN Host Anna Davlantes for Discussion of Ethics, Pensions, Budgets and 2020 Session
On Monday I sat down with WGN’s Anna Davlantes for an interview, where we discussed some of Illinois’ most pressing problems. During the half-hour interview, we discussed the critical need for ethics and pension reform, and how we need much more transparency and bipartisan input into the state budgeting process. We also talked about some of my individual bills for the 2020 session, and about how the House Republicans are leading the fight to address corruption. Click here to listen to the interview.
New Illinois State Police “Forensics Dashboard” Unveiled
As a new measure of transparency and accountability, the Illinois State Police Forensic Services Command has unveiled to the public a forensics dashboard showing the number of case assignments and average completion times.
The dashboard is updated monthly and includes the number of case assignments completed by each section of the lab, the average number of days it took to complete those assignments, and the number of assignments pending completion in each section – commonly known as backlog.
The dashboard shows all the forensic disciplines including trace chemistry, footwear and tire tracks, fingerprints, drug chemistry, toxicology, firearms and biology/DNA. It also shows the average number of days to complete testing and the current backlog of cases.
The ISP FSC has implemented a laboratory information management system, conducted an independent audit and added automated processes in an effort to improve turnaround times. Last month, ISP forensic scientists completed 6,034 assignments, including 1,325 biology/DNA assignments. Biology/DNA currently has an average turnaround time of 193 days.
The Illinois State Police Forensic laboratory system is one of the largest in the country, the only system in the nation that serves both an entire state and a massive metropolis like Chicago, providing forensic support for all police departments in Illinois.
Work by my House Republican colleague Representative Margo McDermed on SB 1411, signed into law in 2019, was a key factor in the development of this online forensics dashboard.
Rep. Wehrli to Partner with Safe DuPage for Community Safety Forum
On Saturday, February 29 I will be partnering with several local elected officials for a frank discussion on crime in our communities and how we can improve public safety. The free public event, hosted by Safe DuPage, will be moderated by Naperville City Councilman Kevin Coyne. In addition to myself, panelists will include Lisle Mayor Chris Pecak, DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin, Judge Jim McCluskey, and acting Lisle Police Chief Ron Wilke.
The forum will be held at 10:00 AM on February 29 in Room 321 in the Daniel L. Goodwin Hall of Business on the campus of Benedictine University. The building is located at 5700 College Road in Lisle.
Wehrli Participates in Naperville Newcomers and Neighbors Club Panel on Legalized Recreational Marijuana
Last week on February 20 I had an opportunity to participate in a panel discussion about the recent legalization of recreational marijuana, and how local municipalities can opt-in or opt-out of allowing recreational cannabis sales within their communities. We had a great conversation covering both sides of the legalization debate and I enjoyed the invitation and opportunity to share my opinions.
Veterans Assistance Team to Host Naperville Event
The Hines Community Outreach Team will be at Naperville’s Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873 from 9:00 AM until 1:30 PM on Tuesday, March 3 in the upstairs hall. The team will help veterans get signed up for VA Healthcare, help schedule appointments and answer questions. There will also be a Veteran Service Officer on site to help with the filing of claims and to answer questions about VA benefits and compensation.
Those who attend should bring a copy of their DD-214 or discharge papers, and those wanting to enroll in VA healthcare need to have an idea of out of pocket medical expenses, including all insurance premiums. A nurse will be at the event and will give flu shots to anyone enrolled in VA healthcare.
State Rep. Grant Wehrli Champions Bill to Reverse 555% Fee Hike for Small Trailer License Plates
This year I am championing legislation to reverse a recent 555% increase in license plate fees for some small trailers that took the plate fee from $18 to $118. The increase was pushed through as part of the capital bill that was rushed through Springfield on the final day of the spring 2020 session.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for large bills with a huge fiscal impact to be rushed through the legislative process. In this instance, Democrat leaders took a Senate Bill, stripped the original language from it and added completely new text. Then the transparency rules for posting and for committee vetting were waived, and the bill came straight to the floor for a vote. No one had time to fully digest everything that was in that bill. I voted against the bill when it came to the House floor on June 1.
Specifically, this new bill, HB 3851, seeks to reduce the trailer flat weight tax for maximum loads up to 3,000 pounds from $118 back down to its former rate of $18. So far, the only lawmakers sponsoring the bill to fix the issue are Republicans. HB 3851 was assigned to Speaker Mike Madigan’s House Rules Committee on October 17 of last year, and has not been assigned a hearing.
Rep Wehrli Sponsors Naperville North Students at “Be Legendary” Conference
Ten future leaders from Naperville North High School are spending the day today at an inspirational leadership conference hosted in Naperville. It is my pleasure to sponsor the NNHS contingent at the “Be Legendary” 2020 leadership conference. Be Legendary 2020 inspires students to take on this new decade with brilliance; choosing success, influence, impact, and creating change. Current and future leaders from across the state are enjoying a day filled with inspiration and networking, as they learn how to foster their own leadership qualities and live a life they love. Part of the full day program includes presentations by eight legendary leaders, who are sharing their stories of how they overcame significant challenges and found the inner leader within themselves.
Sports Wagering Now Imminent in Illinois
Springfield crossed the final hurdle last week to legally open “sports betting windows” at Illinois casinos. These betting windows will operate in a manner similar to betting windows at racetracks and Las Vegas casinos. Bettors will be required to physically go to the casino to place their bets on major sporting events for which odds will be posted. The Illinois Gaming Board believes these windows will open in time for the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament in March.
The General Assembly took the first steps toward sports betting in Illinois by enacting the Sports Wagering Act in the 2019 spring session. The Act asked the Gaming Board to study the sports wagering industries of other states and develop a proposal for controlled, secure betting in Illinois. New rules to provide legal guidance and protection for casino sports betting window operators and regulators were promulgated by the Gaming Board and were approved by a General Assembly oversight panel on February 18. The Gaming Board will now move to draft and implement similar rules for sports betting windows at horse racetracks, off-track-betting (OTB) parlors, and sports arenas.
Add Your Voice to Springfield Bill Debates!
All House Bills filed before the February 14 deadline must clear a substantive House Committee this year by March 27. To meet this deadline for the movement of bills, lawmakers are spending a lot of time vetting bills in substantive committees right now. As bills move through the legislative process, citizens have an opportunity to express support or opposition to a piece of legislation when it is assigned for a committee hearing. If there is a bill you like or dislike, I would encourage you to take advantage of the witness slip process, because before a bill is heard in a committee, the chairperson will read the number of witness slips that have been filed in favor of, and opposed to, the bill. There are some controversial bills out there, and I hope you’ll engage in the process that allows your voice to be heard. Click here to watch a short video that explains the easy steps for filing a witness slip.
Original source can be found here.
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