Illinois lawmakers stop in Buffalo Grove to protest federal funding cuts

Democratic state lawmakers gathered Sunday in Buffalo Grove as part of a four-stop bus tour of Chicago and the suburbs to speak out against cuts in federal funding.

“We have a federal government that is attacking everything that we hold dear,” state Rep. Daniel Didech of Buffalo Grove said during the “For The People” bus tour stop at the Mike Rylko Community Park amphitheater.

Didech said Illinois is “as best situated as we can possibly be to push back” with Gov. JB Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as well as Democratic supermajorities in the state House and Senate.

State Sen. Adriane Johnson of Buffalo Grove said despite “irresponsible financial cuts” from the Trump administration, state legislators would continue to fund education, health care, services to immigrants and homeless people, the salaries of essential workers and affordable housing.

“We’re going to work with the governor to make sure that we have a budget that works for all Illinoisans,” she said.

State Sen. Mark Walker of Arlington Heights told the crowd the state faces losses of up to $5 billion in federal funding, representing about 10% of Illinois' budget.

Fellow Sen. Robert Martwick, who represents a district that includes Rosemont, called for a graduated state income tax, an idea that failed to win voter support in a 2020 statewide referendum.

“In Illinois, we have the fifth most regressive tax system,” he said. “That means we put more of the burden of funding our government on the backs of the middle class, the working class and the poor than all but 45 other states.”

Not everyone in the crowd was cheering.

“The idea of taxing the rich is absurd,” said Mark Rice, a Palatine Republican who unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep, Raja Krishnamoorthi in the November election. “The rich are leaving this state in droves, moving to Florida and other friendlier states, and that’s destroying our economy. Tax the rich. It’s crazy.”