Transit Top of Mind as Lawmakers Return to Springfield for Final Days of Veto Session
As you may have heard, Chicago-area transit agencies have released updated 2026 budgets showing that while the region’s “fiscal cliff” has been delayed, the need for a long-term state funding solution remains urgent. As a member of the Senate Transportation Committee, it is certainly an issue I am following very closely.
Originally projected to face a combined $771 million shortfall, the CTA, Metra, and Pace now estimate a $230 million gap. This is largely due to expanded sales tax collections on online products, fare increases, and internal efficiencies. Those measures have pushed the funding crisis from early 2026 to the latter half of the year, but reserve funds are quickly running out.
CTA and Metra expect to exhaust reserves by late 2026, while Pace’s reserves will last into 2027. Without legislative action, regional shortfalls are projected to climb to $834 million in 2027 and $937 million in 2028, threatening service levels, maintenance, and regional mobility.
As legislators return this week to Springfield for the final three days of session for the year, public transit reform is a top item on the agenda. Lawmakers continued discussions at a hearing held during the first week of veto session, and as I reported last week, a new “wish list” of revenue proposals was unveiled. Legislators will play a central role in determining whether new revenue, reforms, or restructuring are required to keep the region’s public transportation system financially sustainable.
Additionally, CTA, Metra, and Pace recently presented their new budgets for 2026, and all three agencies are planning to raise fare prices anywhere from 25 cents to 13%. The agencies also plan to implement cost reductions to stretch reserve funds.
Wilcox Hosts 70 Students for Fall Youth Advisory Council
Last week I hosted about 70 students from several high schools in the 32nd District for one of my favorite events of the year, my Student Advisory Council (YAC). My deepest thanks go out to officials at Antioch, Grant, Johnsburg, McHenry, Prairie Ridge, Woodstock, and Woodstock North High Schools for allowing your students to participate. The session was held at the Lake Villa Public Library in Lake County.
Students are chosen for this program by school teachers and counselors, and students get to hear from three different community leaders who share their experiences and what drove them toward a career in the public sector, and they offer advice to emerging adults as they contemplate their post high school plans. It is a non-partisan opportunity with a goal of energizing the next generation of leaders and driving home the importance of being an involved member of society.
The fall lineup of speakers included:
- Dr. John Burkey, Executive Director of the Illinois Large Unit (School) District Association
- Mr. Bill Bruce, Special Prosecutor, McHenry County States Attorney’s Office
- Deputies Caitlyn Kelly and Paul Coseman and their K9 Partners, McHenry County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit
My thanks go out to the speakers who took time out of their busy days to interact with the students. Each presenter spoke to the students and reserved plenty of time for Q and A. After a lunch provided by Meridian, students collaborated with their peers from other schools and developed legislative proposals for bills they would like to see become laws in Illinois. Students presented their bill ideas and at the end of the day the full group voted on the one bill proposal that will be put into bill language for our follow-up gathering in the spring of 2026.
During the spring YAC meeting, the bill will move through a mock legislative process complete with committee hearings and votes, and students will take on rolls of legislators (Democrat and Republican), lobbyists, members of the public providing testimony, journalists/bloggers, and even the Governor.
It is a wonderful way for emerging adults to learn about the political process and how important it is to have a voice in shaping public policy for the next generation.
Click here to view a short video from the day.
Wilcox to Partner with Senator Hills for FREE Veterans Appreciation Lunch & Expo
Each November, we pause to honor all veterans who served their country in defense of the freedoms we all enjoy. This year I am partnering with State Senator Darby Hills for a FREE Veterans Appreciation Luncheon & Expo to express our gratitude and support of these brave men and women.
Veterans Appreciation Luncheon & Expo
Saturday, November 15
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Knights of Columbus Hall
365 Surryse Road, Suite 280
Lake Zurich, IL
Veterans and their families can attend a complimentary luncheon and Expo to honor their service. The Expo will provide a reliable place where area veterans and their families can make connections and receive information about many different types of veterans’ programs and resources.
If you are a veteran or a family member of a veteran, I sincerely hope you will join us for this event.
Legislation Filed to Ensure Renewable Energy Projects Pay Their Fair Share
New legislation has been filed to ensure wind and solar energy companies are paying their fair share in property taxes, helping to reduce the burden on other property owners.
Senate Bill 2706 updates the state’s outdated property tax valuation formula for renewable energy projects. The bill increases the real property cost basis used to assess commercial wind and solar energy systems, which determines how those properties are taxed.
Under current law, the base value for wind projects is set at $360,000 per megawatt of capacity and $218,000 per megawatt for solar systems. Senate Bill 2706 would raise those baselines to $588,000 for wind and $446,000 for solar beginning in tax year 2026. When the original valuation formulas were created, wind and solar were new and emerging industries, so the values were set at a lower level to help them grow.
Illinois’ property tax code currently establishes a uniform statewide method for valuing commercial wind and solar systems, based on their nameplate capacity and adjusted annually by an inflation-based trending factor. However, the base figures have remained stagnant for years, leading to lower tax bills for renewable developers compared to other property owners.
SB 2706 has been filed and awaits assignment to a Senate committee for consideration.