News From the

Illinois General Assembly

For Immediate Release                   Contact: Rep. Brad Halbrook

   February 19, 2020                         774-1306

Rep. Halbrook: Governor’s Budget Proposal is Just More “Tax and Spend”

Springfield…Following the Governor’s budget address today, State Representative Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) says the outlined proposal is simply more of the same “tax and spend” that continue to drive Illinois deeper into debt.

Halbrook is issuing the following statement on JB Pritzker’s Budget Address:

“The Governor today tried to make the point that Illinois is united. He said in his address that ‘trying to separate Chicago from the rest of Illinois, whether rhetorically or literally, will not solve the economic challenges of downstate Illinois. Quite the opposite. Some of you need to stop pretending that one part of Illinois can exist without all the others. We are … one Illinois.’

I appreciate the sentiment that Illinois is one state, but the truth is Chicago politicians continue to attack our values and our way of life. The message the Governor is sending to the thousands of people who are upset enough with what is happening in our state that they want to form a new state separate from the City of Chicago is to sit down and be quiet and just accept having their values trampled. This not the way to win over residents of rural Illinois.

There was nothing in the Governor’s speech to give downstate residents any hope that he is going to stop attacking our values and our way of life. In fact, just the opposite. The Governor wants to preach unity, but his actions tell a much different story. He is going to continue to double down on his extreme, liberal agenda and continue to divide Chicago and downstate Illinois. 

It is clear our point of view matters little to this Governor. His budget is just the same as the record $40 Billion spending plan he signed last year except the new budget sets a new record by adding another $2.2 billion in spending, and he’s relying on his graduated income tax increase scheme to pay for it. Illinois families are already the highest taxed in the nation, and more people have fled our state in the past ten years than any other. What we heard today is just a continuation of the Democrats’ tax and spend philosophy that created this mess in the first place. We don’t need more taxes. We need reforms and sadly the Governor made it clear reforms such as spending, and pension reforms are off the table.”

###

Taking a breather from hiking taxes and destroying middle-class jobs, Governor Pritzker and the wealthy Chicago Democrats today mocked our movement for a better future. Pritzker could have acknowledged the pain and disgust behind our movement for a New Illinois. A New Illinois without a culture of corruption or unfundable spending promises. Instead, Gov. Pritzker confirmed all the worst stereotypes of a rich, out of touch, liberal billionaire looking down on the rest of us.

You can see my full remarks here.

Then watch Pritzker's remarks for yourself below, and sign our petition demanding a New Illinois.

I am proud to report that I have been selected to serve as an Alternative Delegate for our President Donald Trump to the Republican National Convention next year. 

If you support the President and want to see him re-elected next year, then I hope you'll download a copy of the President's delegate petition and ask a few of your friends to sign it and then mail it back to me at Citizens for Brad Halbrook PO Box 644, Shelbyville IL, 62565

Enter for your chance to win a Limited Edition 1911 Trump 45 by Auto-Ordnance. All it costs is $20 for a ticket, or you can improve your chances by getting three tickets for $50 or seven tickets for $100. 

You don't have to be present to win, but make sure to get your tickets while they last!

You’ve probably heard the talking point that downstate gets more money back from the state when compared to Chicago, so we should all just sit down, be quiet, and thank Chicago. I won’t sit down. And I won’t be quiet. Hear my take from an interview I did on Capitol Connection.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ofwdoz3d3h2c5y9/Halbrook%20-%20Dismantles%20State%20Funding%20Myths.mov?dl=0

Rep. Halbrook urges opposition to a possible gas tax hike

For Immediate Release                                                                                      Contact: Brad Halbrook

Dec. 17, 2018                                                                                                                        217-774-1306 

Shelbyville, IL – With the possibility of legislators being asked to vote on a gas tax increase during the upcoming lame duck session of the Legislature, State Representative Brad Halbrook is urging opposition to any tax hike proposal.

“We do not need a repeat of what happened in 2011 when the Democrat majority pushed through a massive income tax increase during the lame duck session as dozens of lawmakers who were leaving office the next day cast votes to raise taxes,” Halbrook said. “That vote occurred in the middle of the night while most people were asleep. There was strong opposition to how that tax increase became law. We should not go down that road again.”

There have been several ideas floated to raise the gas tax in Illinois. The most recent proposal from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is to raise the gas tax 20 – 30 cents in Illinois. The average tax on motor fuel in Illinois is 37.32 cents per gallon. Raising the tax by 30 cents per gallon would mean Illinois would have the highest gas in the nation at 67.32 cents per gallon – nearly 9 cents higher than the 58.7 cents per gallon tax in Pennsylvania.

Halbrook said what is needed is a comprehensive approach to transportation – not a knee jerk reaction to raise taxes just because gas prices are low.

“The political battles between Gov. Rauner and Speaker Madigan has made it impossible to get a Capital bill done and so we have not done any major road improvement plans in a very long time,” Halbrook said. “But we do not need to sneak tax increases through in the middle of the night and allow lame duck legislators to set major policies for the state. We need to take a comprehensive approach to transportation funding and we also need to see what is going to happen at the federal level as Democrats and Republicans both are wanting a major transportation funding initiative. We should wait and see what happens at the federal level before raising taxes here in Illinois.”

For more information, log onto www.rephalbrook.com/.

###

The voice of Illinois business, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce’s Political Action Committee has endorsed Brad Halbrook for State Representative in the 102nd District.

Governor Bruce Rauner officially endorsed Brad Halbrook in the 102nd Representative District Republican Primary.

“As a small businessman and farmer, Brad has the experience Illinois needs in Springfield," said Rauner. "During his previous service in the General Assembly, Brad established a strong conservative record by advocating for much needed reforms, economic growth and lower taxes. We need leaders like Brad Halbrook who will bring real-world business experience to the General Assembly. Career politicians and the special interests have stifled business for too long."