SE Illinois News

Republican state House candidate Lisa Ciampoli thinks Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Springfield Democrats need to take a long look in the mirror.

“Illinois has once again passed an unbalanced budget and Gov. Pritzker and Democrats are blaming everyone but themselves,” Ciampoli said. “Instead of ignoring our fiscally responsible neighbors, we should follow their lead, budget appropriately and respect taxpayers.”

Now running against incumbent state Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) in the 112th District, Ciampoli stands opposed to talk of a federal bailout for a state she argues continues to be its own worst enemy in terms of getting its finances in order. In addition to being the most expensive spending plan ever, the $43 billion budget Pritzker enacted for the current fiscal year also relies on billions of dollars in federal aid and the passage of a progressive income tax amendment that appears on the ballot next month.

Ciampoli has long been a vocal critic of the tax plan the governor continues to insist will only mean higher tax rates for the state’s most affluent residents.

“As a fiscal conservative, I oppose the tax hike amendment that would give more money and power to Springfield politicians like Speaker Mike Madigan," she said. “On the county board, I worked to keep taxes low, while Chicago Democrats in Springfield were working to hike taxes over and over.”

To pass, the measure requires approval from 60% of those who vote on the issue or a majority of those who vote in the election overall.

Ciampoli can’t see that happening. 

“Illinoisans have had enough of Springfield’s high taxes,” she recently posted on social media. “Remember that my opponent has proven time and again that she will only support the views of her colleagues in Chicago and Springfield. It’s time we have a voice that represents Southern Illinois and its values.”