Keicher’s Korner: Tele-Town Hall, Budget Proposal and More

February 24, 2026
Thank you to Nehring Electrical Works Company and Weaver Construction, Inc for the tour of your wire manufacturing expansion. The great jobs and added value for what we build in this state are amazing! Thank you for your commitment to Illinois!

Responding to Gov. Pritzker’s Budget Address

Last week, Governor JB Pritzker delivered his combined 2026 State of the State and Budget Address to the Illinois General Assembly.

I’m disappointed that at a time when our state needs to spur our economy, the Governor’s budget proposal does the exact opposite and will chase more job creators away by proposing a billion dollars more in spending and more than $700 million in tax and fee increases.

Despite those spending and tax increases, this proposal also further takes away the ability for local communities to pursue their own future by again cutting funds meant for local governments to reduce reliance on crushing property taxes to push the Governor’s progressive agenda that doesn’t fit the whole state.

What we saw was a glimpse into the Governor’s plan to continue to deny our most vulnerable the support they need to bolster his national ambitions, but I will continue to insist that our most vulnerable must come first and not be used as a political pandering football.

More pandering and spending on pet projects is not the answer. Illinoisans deserve a government that lives within its means.

Budget Proposal Toplines:

  • This would be the largest budget in state history at more than $56 billion.
  • Nearly $1 billion more in spending over last year.
  • $748 million in new taxes, fees, and gimmicks. Including a proposal to tax social media.
  • $16 million cut to local governments and defunding property tax relief grants in the school funding formula.
  • More than half a billion dollars dedicated to non-citizens. 

For more – Click Here.

Beyond the Headlines with Rep. Keicher: A New Video Series

Last month, I launched a new video series, “Beyond the Headlines with Rep. Keicher,” to take a deeper look at some of the major issues facing Illinois that go beyond the headlines you may see in the news.

Through these videos, I’ll dive deeper into topics like energy costs, public safety, fraud, affordability, and more. My goal is to provide you with more context and detail to give you a clearer picture of what your state government is doing. Watch my page for the latest videos.

Topics covered so far:

If you have a topic you want me to discuss in more detail, please reach out to my office:

▶️ Website contact – Click Here.

▶️ Email: [email protected] 

▶️ Phone: 815-748-3494

Recognized as a Champion for Taxpayers

I’m honored to have been named a Prairie State Policy Champion for my efforts to improve transparency and accountability for taxpayers, particularly as it relates to TIF districts. In the midst of the current affordability crisis, families in Illinois are hit even harder by our highest-in-the-nation property taxes. Ensuring property tax dollars are not diverted without residents having a say is common sense and vital to limiting the tax burden.

Click here for more.

How Much Revenue Does the Cannabis Tax Really Bring in?

Constituents often ask about the tax revenue from cannabis and wonder why it hasn’t done more to boost the state budget, as was promised by many of the proponents of legalization at the time. The December report on state revenues from the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA) included a closer look at cannabis revenue. 

Cannabis taxes have somewhat plateaued since 2022, bringing in no more than $281 annually to all appropriated funds. (Note: sales of cannabis are also subject to the state sales tax and local taxes, adding those in increases FY25 revenue to $471 million).

To put it into perspective, with a $55 billion state budget for FY26, only 0.5% of state tax revenue is coming in from cannabis taxes (it’s still only 0.8% if you include the regular state sales tax and local tax collections).

The simple answer is that, despite high taxes on cannabis, the revenue is barely a drop in the bucket.

For a more detailed breakdown or to view the full CGFA report – Click Here.

Application Period Open for Local Food Infrastructure Grants 

The application period for Illinois Local Food Infrastructure Grants opens on February 18, 2026. These grants support food processing, aggregation, storage and distribution projects across the state.

Illinois farms, cooperatives, processing facilities, food businesses, food hubs with 50 employees or less, nonprofits and local governments are eligible for the grants. All applicants must pre-register before submitting an application.

To learn more about applying for these grants through the Illinois Department of Agriculture – Click Here.

Additional License Types Available on IDFPR Online Licensing System

This month, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) announced it is advancing Phases 3 and 4 of CORE (Comprehensive Online Regulatory Environment), bringing 16 additional license types onto the state’s online licensing portal.

These additional license types include:

  • Music Therapy Continued Education Sponsor
  • Registered Dental Hygienist
  • Restricted Shorthand Reporter
  • Approved Shorthand Reporter CE Sponsor
  • Professional Limited Liability Company
  • Architect
  • Massage Therapist
  • Enrolled Professional Engineer Intern
  • Professional Engineer
  • Structural Engineer
  • Enrolled Structural Engineering Intern
  • Physical Therapist Assistant
  • Chiropractic Physician
  • Physical Therapist
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

To learn more – Click Here.

Applauding Efforts to Advance Nuclear Energy Projects

This week, Governor JB Pritzker issued Executive Order 2026-01 to accelerate the development of nuclear power generation in the state of Illinois.

I don’t often agree with the Governor, but recognizing the benefits of advancements in nuclear energy production and expanding the dominance Illinois holds in nuclear energy generation is an area in which I’m happy we do agree.

For the past few years, I’ve been working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to champion the repeal of the moratorium on nuclear energy projects. First, by repealing the ban on small modular reactors and then completely ending the entire moratorium.

Amazing developments are happening in nuclear energy, and each year, more and more innovation is on the horizon. The only way we can possibly expect to have plenty of affordable, reliable baseload power without a carbon footprint is through nuclear power.

Illinois can once again be a leader in energy generation with the most reliable and effective form of clean energy there is: nuclear energy.

To read the full Executive Order – Click Here.

Upcoming Events

Tomorrow evening at 6 p.m., State Representative Steve Reick and I will host a live Tele-Town Hall from Springfield to provide a legislative update and take your questions live over the phone. The call is free, and all you need to do to participate is answer our call on Wednesday evening.

If you miss the call or it drops, you can dial in to participate by calling 815-580-3230. Hope you can join us!

Please join State Senator Dave Syverson and I for a Community Blood Drive in Hampshire.

Click Here to sign-up for an appointment or e-mail Jesse at [email protected]. 

Local Happenings

Over the past few months, I’ve spent time visiting businesses, organizations and local governments around our 70th District. Thank you to all who have welcomed me!

There are a lot of great things happening in our communities, and I am so proud of our not-for-profits and the work they have been doing to serve our most vulnerable.

Looking for ways to get involved in the community?