Kane County Reporter

Governor JB Pritzker has come under scrutiny for his comments on Illinois’ congressional district maps during a recent appearance on late-night television. While speaking with host Stephen Colbert, Pritzker joked about the shapes of some districts, saying, “We handed it over to a kindergarten class and let them decide… That’s our independent commission.” However, the state’s current maps were not drawn by an independent commission but by Democratic supermajorities in both legislative chambers and signed into law by Governor Pritzker.

The process has faced criticism from those who point out that despite calls for reform—including a 2016 address by then-President Barack Obama urging changes to map-drawing practices—efforts to create an independent redistricting commission have been blocked. Opponents argue this allows politicians to shape districts in their favor. “Voters should select their elected officials, instead of legislators selecting their voters,” the statement read.

House Republicans have promoted independent redistricting through initiatives such as HJRCA 5 and have challenged existing maps in court.

A Wall Street Journal editorial recently addressed what it called hypocrisy among Illinois Democrats regarding gerrymandering. The piece noted that while Texas Democrats fled to Illinois amid debates over new congressional maps in Texas, Illinois itself is cited as having highly partisan district lines: “Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and his allies purport to be outraged by the new Texas map... But ol’ JB knows how that’s done. Illinois has 17 House seats, and 14 of them are held by Democrats.”

On fiscal matters, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability reported declining revenues for July 2025. Personal income tax receipts fell $114 million compared to July last year, while corporate income tax collections also decreased. Increases in other revenue streams such as sales taxes did not offset these losses; overall general revenue declined $33 million from a year earlier.

The Illinois Tollway system is considering implementing dynamic pricing based on traffic conditions, which could affect commuting costs during peak times.

Meanwhile, the annual Illinois State Fair began August 7th and runs through August 17th in Springfield. The event features concerts, rides, exhibits showcasing local food and wine, races, and themed days honoring groups like veterans and first responders. Children up to age 12 receive free admission daily; certain theme days also provide free entry for honored guests with proper identification. The DuQuoin State Fair will take place later this month through Labor Day.

Dan Ugaste has represented Illinois’ 65th House District since being elected in 2019 as a Republican successor to Steven Andersson (https://danugaste.com/about/).