Wilcox Publishes Op-Ed in Shaw Media
I want to thank Shaw Media and the Northwest Herald for publishing an opinion piece I wrote recently about the ongoing tax hikes in the State of Illinois and the majority party’s utter unwillingness to show any level of fiscal responsibility.
I also posted the op-ed to my legislative website, so you can click here to read it in that format.
Illinois Now Ranks Highest in Nation for Property Taxes
Illinois has taken the top spot on yet another list no state wants to be on. Illinois now ranks #1 for the highest property tax rate in the country.
According to the Tax Foundation, Illinois homeowners paid an average effective property tax rate of 1.83% in 2023. By comparison, residents in neighboring states face significantly lower property tax rates, one of many factors driving people to leave Illinois.
This ranking comes just weeks after Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the largest state budget in Illinois history, which included nearly $1 billion in new tax hikes, fees, and one-time gimmicks.
The Governor’s agenda is crushing working families, piling even more taxes onto Illinoisans. Instead of making life more affordable, Pritzker and his allies are choosing to spend more, tax more, and ignore real reforms that could actually bring relief to homeowners.
Senate Republicans Call Out Pritzker’s Redistricting Record
As Governor JB Pritzker continues to try and raise his profile in states outside of Illinois, his latest comments on redistricting efforts in Texas are drawing sharp criticism back home. Senate Republicans say the governor has no credibility on the issue of fair maps after breaking a major campaign promise and signing the most gerrymandered political maps in the country into law a few years ago (see photo).
On the campaign trail, Pritzker pledged to support independent redistricting and to veto gerrymandered maps, but once in office, he reversed course. In 2021, he signed partisan maps drawn in secret by Democrats. The maps were designed to protect Democratic control, not ensure fair representation.
Pritzker is now faking outrage over fairness while inserting himself into redistricting debates out of state. After setting the standard for partisan map manipulation in Illinois, his calls for fairness are the textbook definition of hypocrisy. His words ring hollow and appear more focused on political advantage than principle.
If the rules only matter when his party benefits, it was never about voters or fairness. Instead of correcting the damage already done, Pritzker appears ready to double down. Illinois families deserve a transparent redistricting process, not more political games from Springfield.
Senator Wilcox Supports Antioch Village Board Resolution Urging Repeal of SAFE-T Act
Earlier this month, following my Conversations Untapped event in Antioch, I attended the Antioch Village Board’s regular meeting and showed my support as board member approved a resolution condemning the SAFE-T Act and urging its repeal. Click here to read the resolution.
The board’s action followed news reports that detailed how an undocumented immigrant who was arrested for storing a missing Antioch woman’s body in a storage container filled with bleach was released pre-trial immediately after his first court appearance because of the SAFE-T Act. Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, who was subsequently arrested by ICE, awaits trial on charges of concealing a corpse, abusing a corpse, and obstruction of justice.
The victim, 37-year-old, Megan Bos had been missing since February.
Free Document Shredding Coming to 32nd District
New events are regularly added to my outreach calendar, and next up is a FREE document shredding event in Woodstock, where constituents can drive through and allow event volunteers to take up to two banker-sized boxes of sensitive documents to be fed into the paper shredding truck. I am partnering with State Representative Steve Reick for this event and we will also be collecting non-perishable food items to be donated to local food pantries.
Please make sure these events are on your calendar:
- August 16: Document Shredding Event and Food Drive, Office of State Rep. Steve Reick, 1072 Lake Avenue, Woodstock, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- August 21: Barks & Brews Pet Adoption Event, Kishwaukee Brewing, 1900 Dillard Court, Woodstock, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
- August 28: Conversations Untapped, Harbor Viewing Company, 136 Cedar Avenue, Lake Villa, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
- September 9: IPASS on Demand, Fox Lake Library, 255 E. Grand Avenue, Fox Lake, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- September 17: IPASS on Demand, Lake Villa District Library, 140 N. Munn Road, Lindenhurst, 12:30 PM – 5:00 PM
- September 30: Medicare 101, Harrison School (Use Entrance #1), 6809 McCullom Lake Rd, Wonder Lake, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
- October 14: Senior Resource Fair, Grand Oaks Recreation Center, 1401 IL-176, Crystal Lake, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
New events are added regularly, so please visit the Events page of my website regularly to be kept up to date about events taking place near you.
New Measure Signed into Law Targeting Gun Owners
Last week, Governor Pritzker signed Senate Bill 8 into law, a measure that targets responsible gun owners instead of addressing violent crime.
Beginning January 1, 2026, the deadline to report a lost or stolen firearm will be shortened from 72 hours to just 48 hours. Anyone who misses that window could face heavy fines and even lose their FOID card, with repeat violations leading to more severe penalties.
This new law punishes people for being the victim of a crime. Many gun owners securely store firearms in safes, cabins, or vehicles that are not checked daily, making a 48-hour rule unrealistic. The new law is just another one-size-fits-all mandate that turns law-abiding citizens into offenders while failing to crack down on actual criminals.