In this issue:

• Jennifer Davis challenges Melissa Bean for US Congress

• Rhys Read challenges Michelle Mussman for Illinois 56th

• STRO Events at https://www.stgop.org/events

Jennifer Davis challenges Melissa Bean for US Congress

Jennifer Davis is a highly accomplished businesswoman and entrepreneur who started a software company, Davisware, along with her husband, when she was only 17. Davisware focuses on contractors and trades. Jennifer told the Kane County Reporter, “I got to teach plumbers and HVAC guys how to use a tablet to make money just like they turned a wrench. It was a pretty fabulous career.” Jennifer says she is running to address voter engagement, families and technology policy. KaneCountyReporter

Jennifer is a dynamic business leader who knows how to balance the demands of her career with the needs of her family, her husband and 10 children. She even wrote a book, Living Exponentially: Unlocking the Power of Every Moment in Your Business and Life. In it she shows others how to maximize their time for extraordinary success without sacrificing joy.

Jennifer told the Kane County Reporter, “My motivation for getting involved is watching the politicians steal our votes with gerrymandering and allowing them to be stolen through voter apathy in our district and in our state. My entire goal out of this whole thing is to change the vision that people have of their engagement in politics and to get people who are outside of politics engaged in politics. You can only do that by winning, which is why I have been fixated on making sure I’m running a race that is strategically designed to win.”

If you’re wondering how conservative Jennifer Davis is, she tells us plainly, “I have always been conservative, I've never been anything other than conservative, pro-life, pro-Second Amendment and pro-First Amendment…I think families and freedom are the most important things that we do in everything we do.”

“We have to be fighting voter apathy,” she said. “You note the silent majority, and then you look at our district, 37% of our district are independent voters. People aren't independent about politics; they just hate both sides.” Jennifer understands you can’t win the seat if you can’t inspire the independent voter to vote for you. But along with that, we must motivate committed Republicans to get out and vote on November 3. Voter participation has been historically low in midterm elections. When Illinois Republicans sit it out, Democrats walk away with an easy win. If you want the House to pass the SAVE America Act, vote for true conservatives, like Jennifer Davis, in the midterm election cycle.

Learn more about Jennifer Davis by reading the Kane County Reporter article (referenced above) and by visiting her website Jennifer Davis for Congress | Illinois 8th District candidate.

Rhys Read challenges Michelle Mussman for Illinois 56th

When Rhys Read saw that Michelle Mussman was again running unopposed, he knew he couldn’t let that happen. “I know I have a skill set in analyzing budgets, installing internal control systems, and managing a $20 Billion pension fund. When I look at state finances in Illinois, I see a lot that’s wrong, and no one’s doing anything about it.” (Rhys is pronounced Reese.)

Rhys believes in transparency. “We have been dominated by Democrat policies in Illinois that make it so expensive to live here.…Homeowners can look at their tax bill to see where the money goes, but renters have no idea. I want every lease for rental properties to show how much money goes to property taxes and for every business to show how much it pays in property taxes, just to be transparent.”

With 40 years of experience in finance, Rhys was one of the founding members of the risk management committee for West Path Pension, the board of pensions for the United Methodist Church. Along with being a CPA, Rhys has an MBA and was a CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant). Illinois doesn’t need politicians with little real-world experience. It needs business and finance leaders who are willing to wrestle with boards and agencies to improve systems so less money is being wasted.

“There’s a lot of things I can see that are wrong; Illinois needs a DOGE. When I become state legislator, one of the first bills I’ll introduce will be to create a DOGE study of Illinois finances, not just to eliminate fraud but to modernize systems and eliminate redundancies.”

When Rhys last looked at the schools, he saw there was too much overhead. For instance, CPS has 324,000 students, over 20,000 teachers, and 26,000 employees in non-teaching positions. That adds up to one teacher for every 16 students and 1 non-teaching position for every 12 students. Illinois has 851 overlapping school districts. In Illinois, less than 40% of school funding goes into the education process, the rest is spent on non-classroom costs. Rhys wants Illinois officials to consolidate some districts to reduce the need for so much overhead.

Rhys wants to raise the personal exemption. “Currently, we have a personal exemption of less than $3,000. It should be raised to $15,000 for each person, so a family of four would be exempt to $60,000 on their State of Illinois income tax.”

Rhys lives in Des Plaines, in an area that is part of Elk Grove Township. He has served on the Des Plaines Public Library board for 9 years, from 2000-2009. He is married with three grown children. Rhys has been retired since 2020 and is ready to roll up his sleeves for Illinois. Please go to his website readforil56.com  There you can give him your financial support to mount a successful campaign against Michelle Mussmann, who has $100,000 in her war chest.

In this issue:

• J B Pritzker supports the Democratic Socialists of America

• Candidate Darren Bailey tells Pritzker-appointed Board their toll increase is unnecessary

• Voter Registration Documents Were Mailed Directly to Non-citizens in Illinois

• Rhys Read will challenge Mussman

• STRO Events at https://www.stgop.org/events

J B Pritzker supports the Democratic Socialists of America

In his own words: “Any Democrat who is standing up and speaking out for (affordability) and coming up with solutions and doing it in a manner that is fighting what Donald Trump is doing to raise prices on people, those are the people who are winning. … That is the recipe for winning in 2026 and beyond.” Pritzker makes it clear. He only cares about winning (CNN Interview). If Pritzker is so concerned about affordability, why is he raising taxes and tolls?

Candidate Darren Bailey tells Pritzker-appointed Board their toll increase is unnecessary

The drivers in Illinois are facing the largest toll increase in Illinois history. On January 1, 2027, the toll will jump by 45 cents, increasing the average toll to $1.24. Tolls for trucks will jump by 30%. The new toll increase will make every consumer item that passes through northern Illinois more expensive, resulting in an increase in the cost of living for Illinois families.

Republican candidate for Governor, Darren Bailey, addressed the Illinois Tollway Board to object to the toll increase. “The tollway is not struggling,” he said. “It’s reported that the tollway collected the highest toll revenue and highest net operating revenue in its history. In 2024 alone, the tollway collected $1.28 billion more than it needed to operate and maintain the system. No one disputes that roads need to be maintained, but you don’t have to hand an agency, already collecting record revenue of $26.5 billion, a blank check.”

Bailey took exception to the permanent automatic escalator beginning in 2029. “Tolls would increase with inflation every two years. There would be no expiration date and no future vote required. That’s taxation on autopilot.”

“>Every voting member of this board was appointed by Gov. Pritzker. You may not be directly accountable to the drivers who have to pay these tolls, but today you are responsible for determining if their vote matters. If the tollway needs more money in 2029 or 2035, the tollway board should come back to the people and make the case, put the facts on the record, and take another vote.”

It’s critical that you vote in the midterm elections on November 3, 2026? If we miss this chance to elect Jennifer Davis to the U.S. House of Representatives and Don Tracyto the U.S. Senate, we could lose our Republican majority and waste more time on impeachment attempts on Trump and stalemates on important legislation to grow our economy.

Voter Registration Documents Were Mailed Directly to Non-citizens in Illinois

During a U.S. Senate hearing, the Acting Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services admitted to sending official voter registration packets directly to non-citizens and confirmed that the practice was routine. Packets were mailed to individuals receiving DHS services regardless of citizenship status, with voter registration materials included as part of standard mailings. Illinois law prohibits non-citizens from voting, but the state employs motor voter automatic registration which makes it far too easy for ineligible individuals to end up on voter rolls. Couple this with Illinois’ neglect in cleaning the voter rolls, and you have a compromised voting system.

Governor Pritzker has championed expanding services to non-citizens including driver's licenses and healthcare while opposing voter ID laws, but President Trump is committed to reducing voter fraud before the mid-terms and has sued 19 states that refused to release their voter data voluntarily.

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the Illinois Board of Elections, which sought a judge's order instructing state election officials to release to the U.S. Attorney General "the current electronic copy of Illinois computerized statewide voter registration list, with all fields, including each registrant's full name, date of birth, residential address, and either their state driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.” But U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless in the Central District of Illinois dismissed the suit with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled, and cited a lack of authority from the federal government to demand the Illinois voter rolls (Judge's ruling - CBS Chicago)

The Illinois Board of Elections is determined to keep eyes off its voter rolls and fights any federal intervention. Does that give you faith in the integrity of our voting system? If we cannot depend on clean voter rolls when we vote on November 3, we will have to show up in greater numbers to offset the effect of this vulnerability. Make sure you vote on November 3^rd.

Rhys Read will challenge Mussman

Rhys Read, a former treasurer and controller of a $20 Billion pension fund, has thrown his hat in the ring. When Rhys saw that Mussman’s Republican opponent dropped out of the race, he said, “That can’t happen,” so he stepped up. Follow Rhys (pronounced Reese) on his website: https://readforil56.com/

In this issue:

• Special Edition: Pritzker’s War on Single-Family Homes

Special Edition: Pritzker’s War on Single-Family Homes

Gov. JB Pritzker has a plan to allow multi-unit dwellings to be built in neighborhoods zoned exclusively for single-family homes. For instance, his plan would allow a 4-flat to be built on a lot between 2,500 to 5,000 square feet. (A ⅛-acre lot is about 5,000 square feet.) Six units could be built on a lot between 5,000 and 7,500 square feet. His Building Up Illinois Developments Plan (BUILD) will override municipal codes concerning single-family zoning. High-density housing, like the triplex pictured here, is his solution to the state’s housing shortage. Its footprint is 50 feet by 50 feet.

The bills for this legislation are still in committee and have faced fierce opposition from suburban mayors, but Pritzker will push Democrats to pass them in the fall session. The BUILD Plan will allow developers to construct apartment buildings, condominiums, duplexes, triplexes, accessory dwelling units and other Missing Middle housing on lots zoned for single-family homes.Click Here to learn more about the Missing Middle.

Local mayors staunchly oppose the plan because it strips away local control. Working within the Illinois Municipal League, they have voiced their opposition and offered a plan of their own. See the Illinois Municipal League's Counter Proposal

Mayor Tom Dailly of Schaumburg - “This legislation is terrible and a total threat to local communities like Schaumburg that have worked hard to create a viable and livable community for its residents.”

Mayor Rodney Craig of Hanover Park - “We are serious about these issues, and I haven’t felt this level of stress during my 19 years in office.”

Mayor Craig B. Johnson of Elk Grove Village - “Under the Building Up Illinois Developments proposal, homes in Elk Grove could be replaced with 6–8-unit apartment buildings — by right, with no Village approval and no input from neighbors.” Click here to read: Proposed State Law Would Change Elk Grove Neighborhoods

State Representative Jennifer Sanalitro - “The constant attacks on local control by Springfield must end… Under the BUILD Plan, decisions about what gets built in our neighborhoods could be made by politicians who don't live in or even know our area.”

Where Did This Idea Originate?

During the Obama Administration, HUD created the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Plan (AFFH) to restrict single-family zoning, citing it as an obstacle to fair housing. President Trump terminated the rule saying it would “destroy the value of houses.” Biden restored it in 2021 and said, “Single-family zoning is discriminatory.” Trump terminated the rule again in 2024. JB Pritzker is running for president in 2028. Having accomplished this major legislation would make him a hero in Democrat circles.

State Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro (R) strongly opposes the BUILD Plan; however, State Senator Laura Murphy (D) is a co-sponsor. Michelle Mussman (D) and Fred Crespo (D) have not weighed in publicly. Why not call them, and tell them what you think? It’s not too late.

The BUILD Plan is structured as separate bills. We suggest you reference the bill number when you correspond with your senator or state representative.

House Bill 5626 is an omnibus housing bill targeting municipal zoning, legalization of accessory dwelling units, parking reform, and permit review timelines.

Senate Bill 4060 mandates that municipalities must allow for multi-unit dwellings in areas zoned for single-family homes.

Senate Bill 4061 mandates that municipalities allow residential buildings with six stories or less to have only one stairway serving as an exit for all units.

Senate Bill 4062 mandates that municipalities authorized to collect impact fees must use a standardized statewide formula.

Senate Bill 4063 requires municipalities to complete building plan reviews and inspections within an allotted time, or the applicant may hire a third-party reviewer or inspector.

Senate Bill 4064 limits the number of required parking spaces municipalities can mandate for residential developments, capping them at 0.5 spaces per unit. (This will lead to overflow parking on the street.)

In this issue:

• Republican Candidates Debate for the 8^th Congressional District.

Republican Candidates Debate for the 8^th Congressional District.

These two candidates are competing to become the Republican candidate for the 8 ^th Congressional District.

Mark Rice was the CEO of Energy CX, a large energy brokerage company, providing procurement, management,and utility services in the energy industry. His business also supplies low-cost energy to data centers. He left the business in the capable hands of his two sons so he could devote his time to campaigning for Congress. He was CEO of Biofuels Technologies LLC and the founder of Trevian Youth Football. Mark ran against Raja Krishnamoorthi for this seat in 2024 and believes he has the name recognition to capture this open seat in 2026.

Jennifer Davis and her husband started Davisware Vision Software in 1988. Davisware is a global software company whose products are used by small businesses and mid-market companies dealing in construction, engineering, and food & beverages. Jennifer and her husband have ten children and says she’s running to preserve the American Dream for your children, her children, and for generations to come. She believes that Congress needs people with her experience to legislate in matters of AI, Bitcoin, and crypto.

Both candidates participated in the Republican primary debate sponsored by STRO on January 20, 2026. Here are their responses to the questions.

Question 1: What specific national policies will you propose to lower the cost of necessities like groceries and energy?

Mark Rice: I was CEO of the largest energy brokerage company in Illinois and one of the largest in the nation. When you shop online, you go through data centers. I provide energy for data centers and save them hundreds of millions of dollars… We have a lot of energy under our feet. We also need to build more nuclear power plants and do everything possible to bring down the cost of energy, which is in our homes, our groceries, manufacturing, in everything. I’m not worried about the environmental impact of data centers because the United States has access to reliable energy sources, consistent energy, not like solar and wind. There’s an abundance of natural gas, and we can build more nuclear power plants. In fact, we need more data centers to bring jobs and industry to our area. Data centers have an environmental impact on places like India and China, but not here.

Jennifer Davis: The basic costs of groceries and energy are tied to energy, so like Mark says, we must be energy independent. Bringing down the cost of energy will bring down the cost of living. Another way is by doubling the federal S.A.L.T. exemption (State and Local Tax). It won’t bring down the cost of groceries or bring down your property taxes, but it will offset the cost of your property taxes. We need to fixate on bringing business opportunities and manufacturing to our state and district by bringing in federal funding to support those opportunities and infrastructure. Also, for the cities that are dependent on Chicago water, we need to help support the water project for the Village of Schaumburg.

Question 2: What action would you take on the federal level to ensure that Illinois receives its fair share of infrastructure funding without raising taxes?

Jennifer Davis: Funding for infrastructure is where the federal government can help us the most, but we need to be especially aware of what is needed in our district. For instance, the water project I mentioned would allow municipalities that surround Chicago to circumvent Chicago to get water. These municipalities have been paying five times more for water than the City of Chicago does. We, in Congress, must work with the local mayors to understand what those projects are and how to get them federally funded.

Mark Rice : Like Jennifer said, we need to bring manufacturing jobs back and get federal funding to do that, but first we need to get government out of the way. We need to lower taxes on working families and encourage people to move here and businesses to locate here to create jobs, instead of leaving like McDonalds, Boing, and Citadel. Democrats like Pritzker and Raja have been layering on regulations that cause businesses to leave. For every new regulation we need to get rid of ten. We’ve got to reduce the size of government and make Illinois a great place to live again and a great place to create jobs. I’ve done that with my own business, but we’ve got to get rid of these leftists. We must get common sense Conservatives back into power.

Question 3: Do you support modifying the tax code, like earned income tax credits, to provide relief to lower and middle-income families facing high living costs?

Mark Rice: Yes, I do. Our taxes are much too high. What got me into politics was Steve Forbes. I was a delegate for Steve Forbes for president. His policy was to create a flat tax, at a much lower rate like 18%, and then just eliminate taxes altogether on people earning under $100,000. There are a lot of good people in Congress and senators. Not in Illinois, but nationally the Republicans are in charge. I’ve met with them, and by adding me we can get a lot of things done. I can be the one vote that gets the bill passed.

Jennifer Davis: We must make Trump’s tax cuts permanent, we must move the corporate income tax down to 15%, and we must encourage businesses to invest in this state. The only way to do this is to reduce taxes. Our government’s throughput is low, meaning when you give the government $1, they create $.20 worth of value. When I was in business, our throughput was 80%. The more money we take out of government hands and put into the hands of the people who earned it, the more opportunity we create, the more throughput we have, and the more GDP we create. Each one of those things gives working families an opportunity to stop looking to the government to solve our problems and start looking to ourselves to create our own success.

Question 3: Inflation has hit Illinois families hard. What specific action would you take to reduce inflation and lower everyday costs for working families?

Jennifer Davis: Inflation is literally just another tax. When the government prints money, they create inflation which creates more tax revenue. We have to put more money in people’s hands and reduce energy costs, so it reduces the overall cost to operate your home and support a family.

Interest rates have been high for so long. We must create interest rates that are opportunistic for first-time home buyers. We must create opportunities for these kids to have sustainable incomes and a reasonable cost of living.

Mark Rice: We agree on this. Young people today are forced to rent because inflation has made homes unaffordable and interest rates are too high. Young families don’t feel like they have a stake in ownership. The government is stealing our money through inflation. It’s all Congress’ fault. They are the ones who spend the money and write the bills that create inflation. If they were a business, they’d be bankrupt. When I get in there, we’ll change that fast.

Question 4: ( Most recently the US Supreme Court decided that President Trump’s tariffs were unconstitutional, but the candidates’ answers still provide valuable insight.) If Trump does get his way on tariffs, should those millions of dollars go to the American people in the form of DOGE checks, or go into a rainy-day fund?

Mark Rice: 100%. That money should go to us. Some of the tariffs are working, and some are a work in progress, but God bless Trump for what he’s doing. We should punish companies that bring illegals in and hire them. I own a very large company, and we don’t do that. Companies should be hiring American workers and creating American jobs. We should be rewarding companies that do with tax incentives.

Jennifer Davis: Tariffs are a way to incentivize companies to bring back jobs to America, and we’ve seen it already since Trump started the tariffs. In one year, he has motivated many businesses who left the United States to return, bringing back manufacturing and increasing middle class jobs. We need to be America First in all that we do. This will create an opportunity for our local businesses to get a fair shot in competition.

Question 5: What is your position on the use of tariffs to protect American industry and workers, and do you believe they are an effective tool or a risk to the broader economy?

Jennifer Davis: Every time you make a change and impose a tariff, that means that downstream our costs are higher. Trump is thinking futuristically. We have outsourced all our manufacturing and all our jobs and made ourselves so dependent on other countries for everything from energy to the chip sets we are using. Right now, it’s a race to AI. We must make sure we are using tariffs strategically to motivate American companies to locate here and encourage others to do the same.

Mark Rice: Tariffs are necessary. They are part of the tool kit Donald Trump needs. Previous administrations didn’t care about jobs going overseas. In fact, they were working with the CCP and Russia, rather than America First. I don’t want to attack you on this, but Jennifer, in your business, you have actually outsourced jobs to India. I have never done offshored jobs. You’ve talked about how you created jobs in India. We need to stop that.

Jennifer Davis: We did not outsource jobs; we added jobs in India. We added jobs in India while we were adding jobs here. We did not move any jobs to India. We added jobs to support our Indian workforce.

We did not ever create less jobs in America while we created more jobs in India. We had to make the best use of resources and talent, and through our India team, which I truly love, we were able to grow the business. Many of them came to America and became American citizens, legally and properly. So yes, we did grow American jobs through our growth in India.

Question 6: What steps can Congress take to increase transparency, build oversight, or pass legislation to shape future term policy?

Mark Rice: Through the efforts of DOGE, you can now go online to see the corruption that’s been going on. The fraud in Minnesota is all on video and how they were sending money offshore. Last week, I was with Nick Shirley, who exposed Minnesota’s fraud, and I’d like to bring him to Chicago. I anticipate Elon Musk getting more involved, especially if we keep the House and the Senate, so we can dominate and then we’ll have transparency.

Jennnifer Davis: The way we get transparency is using data systems and processes. I’ve spent the last 35 years building systems and processes in over 3,500 companies who all created first generation American wealth through technology we built. Through data, we can create a permanent record based on truth and fact, and then we use that data to arrive at the truth at the federal level. We need data systems and processes that give us connectivity between state, local, and federal governments to give us true transparency and passthrough. But the easiest way to increase transparency is to reduce the size of government, which is what I intend to do.

Question 7: Given the numerous treaties between the US and Denmark, do you support President Trump’s goal of gaining complete and total control of Greenland, including imposing tariffs on NATO allies who do not support President Trump’s goal?

Mark Rice: In the 1980s, I read Donald Trump’s book, The Art of the Deal . In it he explains that he doesn’t always mean the stars; but he’ll take the moon. It’s a bargaining tool. Do I think Donald Trump always means what he says? Of course, not. Sometimes Donald Trump says something crazy to set expectations and then negotiates down to arrive at where he intended to be. The Left-leaning media misses the point altogether or purposefully skews what Trump says to build the Democrat narrative. For example, Donald Trump said something about war with Venezuela, and then four days later he sent in troops to capture Nicholas Maduro. I trust Donald Trump to do what’s in the best interest of America. Donald Trump knows what he’s doing.

Jennifer Davis: When we look at the opportunity in Greenland, we see what’s happening in eastern Europe and China and know that we need to look at our own safety and be America First. We see Greenland as part of a protective dome to ensure America’s safety. I’m not at the table, but from what I see from the outside looking in, we need to recognize the threat that China and our other adversaries present. They are buying their way into many countries. Considering the proximity Greenland is to the United States, it puts us in striking distance. We need to be defensive. Seeing how Donald Trump rolls this out, we’ll see what’s best for American and that’s what we’ll do.

Question 8: What role should Congress play in authorizing wars and military engagements and how would you ensure transparency and accountability in deploying US troops overseas?

Jennifer Davis: Having a grandson in the Navy, this is a very personal matter to me. We need transparency and to know where our allies stand. Our country has been taken advantage of. We have been funding the world and gutting our own country.

On an airplane, they always tell the mother to take care of herself before she takes care of her children. We must put America first. From a military perspective, we must ensure peace through strength. (Vladamir Putin) is not checking what is legal or right; he’s not checking to see if anyone agrees with him, he’s going to do what’s in his own best interest, so we must create peace through strength by ensuring that we have the best equipped, best prepared military.

Mark Rice: We both agree about peace through strength, but the question was about transparency and how we engage our military in foreign lands. I just want to tell you that Congress is dirty. It’s the worst place to keep a secret…These guys are making money; they come in poor and come out wealthy. We need to elect a leader, a Commander-In-Chief, who will do what’s best to keep America safe for our children and grandchildren. What we don’t need is a Congress, filled with lifetime politicians, to be privy to what we’re doing ahead of time. I trust Donald Trump to do what’s in our country’s best interest.

Question 9: As a member of Congress, would you support federalizing the National Guard to enforce federal immigration laws, and if so, wouldn’t it be in direct violation of the Posse Comitatus Act?

Mark Rice: I don’t think so in response to the last part of your question. But for the first part, 100% yes. I’ve been endorsed by Tom Homan. We need ICE officers. If they can’t do their job because Pritzker and Brandon Johnson are impeding and inciting riots, the federal government can lend them some support. I say thank you!

Jennifer Davis: The first thing I intend to do when I get to Congress is to enact the Remain in Mexico Act and make sure it is enforced. That would prevent states from being sanctuary states and cities from being sanctuary cities. That would mitigate the need for ICE to enforce immigration in our cities. Our immigration laws need to be strong, protected and unviolated. If we need National Guard to support our immigration services, that’s what we should do. I have a son and a son-in-law who are both federal law enforcement officers. When I see the abuse that these federal officers are subjected to and how these ICE agents are being treated for doing their job, I take it very personally. They are working tirelessly to ensure safety. When I think about the National Guard, we should be using them to keep our country safe and our states in line with the federal government.

Question 10: How can Congress better support the national guard for readiness for natural disasters, civil unrest, and emergency response without overburdening the members and their families?

Jennifer Davis: The National Guard is primarily there to protect our country and help in times of emergency. We need to enable them, not with more money, but with better leadership and transparency. We’ve spent far too long allowing politicians to manage money ineffectively. If they (politicians) were running a business, they’d be fired or bankrupt. The National Guard needs to create the outcomes for the roles they are in.

Mark Rice: The National Guard has been used for jobs they are not prepared or trained to do, to be babysitters for the illegals who are coming in. What’s even worse is where did all the money for FEMA go? Some of it went to the drunk spenders in Washington, and a lot of it went to house, feed, provide cell phones, and do everything for illegal immigrants.

OTHER CANDIDATES: For information about other candidates in additional races on the March 17 ballot, please go the Schaumburg Township Republican Organization website at www.stgop.org.

For upcoming meetings, special events, and other activities, visit
STRO Events at www.stgop.org/events

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In this issue:

• Illinois Lawmakers get 26 second per page to read FY2026 budget

• Gov. Pritzker denies that illegal migrants receive Medicaid in Illinois

• IL Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro reacts to FY2026 budget

• Illinois Lawmakers give themselves another pay increase

• Illinoisans pay the second-highest rate for gasoline tax in the nation

• STRO Events at https://www.stgop.org/events

Illinois lawmakers get 26 seconds per page to read FY 2026 budget – from Illinois Policy

"Lawmakers in the Illinois General Assembly must read fast when they get final state budgets, because thousands of pages are dropped on them at the last minute before they must vote. They averaged about 67 seconds per page to digest the past nine state appropriations bills. For the past four years they had less than 30 seconds per page to read over 3,000 pages. Evelyn Wood would be proud."

Full story at Wirepoints

Gov. Pritzker denies that illegal migrants receive Medicaid benefits in Illinois

Members of the Illinois General Assembly delivered to Gov. J.B. Pritzker a record $55.2 billion budget plan, which requires $1.1 billion in new taxes. Overall, state spending will grow by about 5% from last year's enacted plan. Despite tax hikes and record spending, the FY2026 budget falls $4.5 billion short of what is required to keep up with the state’s pension debt.

However, the budget includes $182 million to provide shelter, health care and other services for recently arrived migrants and includes $440 million from the general revenue fund for state-funded Medicaid-like benefits to noncitizens, with $189 million from other state funds as well.  (Illinois Policy Institute)

On June 12, 2025, Governor Pritzker appeared before the House Oversight Committee. Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) questioned him,

DONALDS: “Governor, don’t you keep track of how many people are on your Medicaid rolls, how many people who are illegal immigrants in the State of Illinois who are getting benefits in your state?”

PRITZKER: “They don’t get Medicaid in Illinois or in any state as far as I know.”

DONALDS: “Governor, do you not keep track of any public service dollars in the State of Illinois that go to illegal immigrants?”

PRITZKER: “We keep track of our budget and it’s been balanced for the past seven years.”

DONALDS: “It’s interesting, I’ve noticed that in the State of Illinois, you don’t really keep track of your money…A month ago, I asked your mayor in Chicago a similar question, and he didn’t have an answer…I think this might be an Illinois problem.” Watch this exchange on Youtube:

Illinois Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro reacts to FY2026 budget

In a video posted to YouTube, Representative Sanalitro (R-48) outlines what the budget does and does not address. You can watch the Youtube video here:

Here’s a taste.

“Do you know what made it into this budget,” said Rep. Sanalitro, “pork projects for Democrat districts, but Republican districts got nothing…Pay raises for lawmakers, but no crackdowns on waste, fraud, and abuse.

“Do you know what else made it into this budget; money for illegal immigrant housing, healthcare, and transportation, but nothing for veterans, counties, municipalities and townships that operate programs for seniors and other at-risk groups.”

Another pay increase for lawmakers.

The FY2026 budget includes another cost-of-living pay raise for Illinois lawmakers. The law establishing a COLA for state lawmakers is found in the Illinois Compiled Statutes, specifically under Chapter 25, Legislature. The COLA is capped at 5% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. Illinois lawmakers went from $93,712 in 2024 to $98,304 this year. Are they worth it? About 71 percent of the 177 lawmakers earn additional money, called stipends, for holding leadership posts or serving in key committee positions. Those stipends range from $10,327 to $27,477. Not a single Republican lawmaker voted for this. We encourage you to open this link to an article from Wirepoints: Why do we pay nearly $100K in salary for each Illinois lawmaker? | Wirepoints

Illinoisans pay the second-highest rate for gas taxes, behind only California.

You’ll remember that in 2019, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Rebuild Illinois capital plan, doubling the state’s motor fuel tax rate from 19 cents to 38 cents per gallon. Included in the plan were annual adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index, which now brings the tax to 48.3¢. Illinois’ motor fuel tax is the second highest in the nation behind California.

To that Cook County adds 6¢ per gallon, and DuPage adds 9.7¢ per gallon. Other state taxes on fuel include an underground storage tank tax, an environmental impact fee, and a separate tax for the Illinois’ Underground Storage Tank Fund. When you add a federal tax of 18.4¢ per gallon, Illinoisans pay more than 85¢ per gallon of gas in taxes.

STRO Events

Date: Saturday, July 19, 2025, 9:30 am – 12:30 PM Republican Precinct Committeeman Training at the Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Rd, Schaumburg. Instruction is by Bob Grogan, CPA, CFE. Former IL Rep. Jeanne Ives IL-03 and Debbie Kanarowski, ILSCC-08 will also be presenting.

Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2025 from 6 – 8 pm. It’s a time for fun; We’re throwing a STRO Social – a STROcial at Moretti’s, 2475 W. Higgins Rd., Hoffman Estates. There will be appetizers and Cash Bar. Please RSVP at https://www.stgop.org/strocial_stro_social_20250723

Date: Sunday, August 3, 2025, starting at 1 pm. We’re STROing a PICNIC at the Grove at Saint Peter Lutheran Church. The cost is $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers or those who did not pre-register. A child under 12 is free if accompanied by a member. Please RSVP at https://www.stgop.org/stro_picnic_20250803. Registration ends July 31 so we can give accurate numbers to the caterer.

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