As Illinois lawmakers prepare for a new session, House Republican Leader Tony McCombie is urging the state to change course, focusing on affordability, public safety, and job-driven infrastructure. McCombie says Illinois families are struggling with rising costs, making daily sacrifices while, in her view, state leaders prioritize spending over real solutions. She’s calling for reforms to the SAFE-T Act, stronger victims’ rights, and a rollback of energy policies she says are hiking utility bills. Infrastructure investment and job growth, especially outside Chicago, remain key concerns. McCombie warns that without shifts in priorities, Illinois risks further economic uncertainty.
“Strong schools, safe communities, reliable energy, and smart infrastructure aren’t partisan ideas,” McCombie said. “They are the foundation of a stronger future for Illinois. Ending wasteful spending and putting people first isn’t optional, it’s the only path forward.”
“Illinois families are budgeting every day,” McCombie said. “They are making tough choices about housing, energy, fuel, and raising their kids. Illinois democrats need to start doing the same, by ending overspending, prioritizing Illinois taxpayers, and focusing on outcomes that actually improve people’s lives.”
“When dollars are swept away from our downstate roads and bridges, to be sent to Chicago transit, job growth in our area slows and the disinvestment hurts our local economy,” McCombie said. “Protecting infrastructure funding is protecting our families–keeping people working and strengthening local communities.”