(The Center Square) – With the Democratic National Convention set to begin next week in Chicago, Illinois Republicans are taking the time to remind everyone how the state’s Democrats have fared.
In an event that is expected to be volatile with protests, Democrats are expected to be meeting with other party leaders, discussing policies and rallying behind presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
During the Democratic County Chairs brunch Wednesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker tried to rally the troops.
“Right here in Illinois we get to show off our own blue wall,” said Pritzker. “Our state party is stronger than ever before and our county chairs association is knocking the cover off the ball.”
During a news conference Friday, Illinois Republican state senators blasted the majority party’s policies. State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, noted that Illinois is ranked as the least tax friendly state in the country.
“As family budgets are stretched to their breaking point, forcing families to make really tough decisions, Illinois Democrats used their tax hikes to deliver the most expensive budget in state history,” said Rezin.
Rezin added that at a time when Illinois families struggle to make ends meet, Illinois Democrats responded with $1 billion in new taxes.
The largest tax hike in the budget approved earlier this year is the extension of the state’s cap on net operating losses, which will raise corporate income taxes for companies recently losing money by $526 million in the next fiscal year.
State Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, brought up the fact that Democrats refused to renew the Invest in Kids school choice tax credit scholarship program.
“Governor J.B. Pritzker under the bright lights will talk at the DNC about how quote, ‘Democrats deliver’,” said DeWitte. “They deliver alright. They deliver abysmal education proficiency statistics and deliver disappointment to families that just want their kids to have a quality education.”
The Democratic National Convention begins Monday and runs through Thursday.