Illinois Democrat places campaign focus on economics, Republican says people are not happy

[September 06, 2024]  By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois Democrats and Republicans are focusing on economic issues during the current election season.

State Representative Marcus Evans told The Center Square that Democrats are having discussions about finances.

“You go to any Democratic agenda and focus, we’re talking about economics. We don’t want people taxed out of their businesses,” Evans said.

Earlier this year, Evans joined Democratic colleagues in the General Assembly in passing the largest state budget in Illinois history. Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the spending plan, which included more than $1 billion in tax hikes.

Republican Committeeman Tyler Shasteen said people in his community on the South Side of Chicago feel forgotten while Democrats spend taxpayer money on new arrivals.

“They see the migrants getting taken care of with the hotels, the transportation. They have credit cards,” Shasteen said.

Democratic State Representative Evans said his party is focused on making life better for everyday Americans.

In a conversation with The Center Square, Evans invoked the name of a former Illinois Republican.

“I think the great Governor Stratton years ago said that good government is good politics, and that is something that we have to focus on. Are we producing for the everyday people?” Evans asked.

William Stratton was governor of Illinois from 1953 to 1961. He also served two separate terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and two separate terms as Illinois Treasurer.

Illinois state Rep. Marcus Evans
BlueRoomStream

GOP Committeeman Shasteen told The Center Square that the economic outlook is not good under Democratic President Joe Biden.

“You know you don’t hear the term very often any more, but you used to hear ‘Bidenomics’ all the time. They would talk about the Democratic nationwide policy on economics. People are not feeling good about the economic system that we have currently here in America. The economic outlook is not any better,” Shasteen said.

According to Shasteen, several financial analysts have said the odds of a recession keep going up.

According to U.S. Census data, Illinois has the least affordable housing of any state in the Midwest. One in three Illinois households pay more than 30% of their income for housing.

The Land of Lincoln has the second-highest property tax rates in the entire nation and the second-highest unemployment rate in the U.S.

Election Day is November 5.

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