Rock Island Today

A bill to "decouple" Illinois' tax code from the federal tax code was passed by the House during the final night of the fall legislative session. The measure, which now awaits the governor's signature, has sparked debate over its potential impact on taxpayers and businesses in Illinois.

Governor J.B. Pritzker supports the decoupling initiative, arguing it will generate additional revenue needed to sustain state spending programs. Since 2019, state government expenditures have increased by approximately $16 billion, or 43%. Illinois currently has one of the highest corporate tax rates in the United States, and critics argue that this move could block residents and businesses from receiving certain benefits enacted at the federal level. The estimated effect could be more than $200 million in new taxes for Illinoisans.

Representative Dan Swanson stated his opposition to the bill: "I voted against this bill because decoupling amounts to a tax increase on Illinois businesses. It will put Illinois businesses at a competitive disadvantage against businesses in every other state in the country. Taxes on job creators in every other state will go down, but they will not do so in Illinois. This is yet another bad policy which will make it harder for those seeking to attract jobs and businesses to Illinois." The legislation passed both chambers before dawn.

In addition to legislative updates, November marks Alzheimer's Awareness Month. Over 230,000 people in Illinois are affected by Alzheimer’s disease each year. More than 300,000 caregivers provide unpaid support across the state annually. Early detection can help families plan ahead and access treatment options and community resources; information is available through organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter or via their helpline at 1-800-272-3900.

During the recent fall session week, three local students served as House Pages: Max Weaver (11th grade), Sully Weaver (7th grade), and Demetrius Williams III. Max and Sully attend Creative Christian Homeschool and participate in various extracurricular activities ranging from computer science to chess club. Demetrius Williams III is involved with music ensembles at St. John’s Lutheran Church and looks forward to joining ROTC before pursuing cyberwarfare engineering.

Swanson also recapped community events attended over a busy weekend throughout his district—including fundraising dinners supporting Kiwanis, local food pantries like Fish of Galesburg (which saw one of its largest collections), cultural celebrations hosted by United Filipino American Association of Galesburg and Central Illinois (UFAAGCI), veterans’ appreciation meals at Oneida American Legion, fire department suppers in Sherrard and Oxford, as well as attending a Monmouth Fighting Scots football game where they secured a conference championship.

Swanson was elected as a Republican representative for Illinois' 71st House District in 2023 after succeeding Donald L. Moffitt.

Other news items highlighted include urban legislators gaining experience with farm work during harvest season; reports from prison workers about mail scanning procedures; news of Wenonah Bish—Illinois’ oldest living resident—passing away at age 113; and concerns raised by legal groups regarding student screening laws.