Rock Island Today

The Illinois Auditor General has revealed that state spending on health benefits for immigrants in the country illegally reached $1.6 billion over the past few years, surpassing projections by more than half a billion dollars. The audit found improper enrollments and noted that the current fiscal year's expenses were not included, which would increase the program's cost.

Representative Dan Swanson expressed his disapproval of last year’s budget due to disproportionate funding allocations: "I voted No on last year’s budget in part because it included almost four times as much funding for non-citizens as it did for services to Illinois veterans."

The Governor suggested eliminating health benefits for younger immigrants but maintaining those for seniors. Meanwhile, House Republicans advocate for cutting taxpayer-funded health benefits entirely.

In other legislative matters, discussions about banning cell phones in classrooms are gaining traction in Illinois. Some states have already implemented such bans due to concerns over student distraction and discipline issues. Governor Pritzker has indicated support for a statewide ban, and Representative Swanson expects this topic to be debated soon.

House Republicans also oppose new tax increases amidst budget negotiations. They criticize Governor Pritzker's proposed $55 billion spending bill, citing insufficient revenue coverage and referencing past tax hikes pushed through by Democrats: "Last year Democrats forced through nearly $1 billion in tax increases...this year they seem to be at it again."

A recent Veterans Affairs committee meeting focused on improving state services for over 552,000 veterans in Illinois. Representative Swanson described it as a productive discussion with multiple panels addressing service accessibility and accountability: "We want to make sure that the programs the state is offering to veterans are accessible and accountable."

Other news includes warnings about toll road text scams targeting residents, an ongoing I-COVER program application period until March 14, Severe Weather Preparedness Week initiatives, and various community updates.