SE Illinois News

House candidate David Friess feels it’s past time that Springfield be held accountable for its prolonged run of what he sees as incompetence.  

“The state is not deserving of a bailout,” Friess (R-Red Bud), now running against incumbent state Rep. Nathan Reitz (D-Steeleville) in the 116th District, told the SE Illinois News. “The financial mess the state of Illinois finds itself is not related to the pandemic, however, the state's problems are a direct result of years of mismanagement. Other states should not have to foot the bill to bailout Illinois for poor decisions made by politicians with no strings attached.”

Illinois Senate President Don Harmon recently joined other Democratic leaders in penning a letter to members of Illinois’ Congressional Delegation requesting $41 billion in federal funding as a means of offsetting damage brought on by the virus that has forced businesses and operations across the state to shutter.

In the letter, Harmon called special attention to an Illinois Institute of Government report that predicts the state could lose as much as $14 billion in revenues over the next year given current climate.

Among specific requests, Harmon indicates he is seeking upward of $10 billion for the state’s long-troubled pension plans.

Friess argues all of that falls far short of the multi-tiered plan the state needs to begin to put its financial house in order.

“First, our elected leaders are going to have to put forth a truly balanced budget with no gimmicks,” he said. “Second, we are going to have to cut spending and reform our pension system. We cannot tax our way out the financial hole our elected leaders have dug. We have one of the highest tax burdens in the country, and additional taxes are just going to further encourage citizens of Illinois to continue to flee to states with a lower tax burden.”

Friess argues in many ways, Springfield has been its own worst enemy.

“Corruption is a huge factor,” he said. “We are all familiar with the history of corruption in Illinois, and it is believed that the corruption costs the state's economy hundreds of millions of dollars per year. We are also all aware of the current wide ranging federal investigations taking place in Illinois of lawmakers, Chicago aldermen and mayors, which have been questioned, targeted, investigated, arrested or indicted. Unfortunately, this corruption stems from the unchecked power and influence career politicians amass and nothing will change in Illinois until we enact term limits.”