Hello, I hope you had a great weekend! This week’s newsletter includes the following topics:
- State Government Spending Surges 40%
- More Than $1 Billion in Transportation Investments for the 53rd District
- October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Fall in Illinois Means Pumpkins
- Illinois Archery Deer Season 2025–2026
State Government Spending Surges 40% Under the Current Administration
Last week, I asked if you supported Governor Pritzker’s executive order directing agencies to cut up to 4% of their FY26 budgets, or if it was just a PR stunt. Nearly 80% of you said it was another stunt.
Under Governor Pritzker, state spending has grown nearly 40% in just seven years, despite record tax collections. Instead of reining in costs, he continues to expand government while blaming Washington for Illinois’ fiscal problems.
His latest order directs agencies to cut “non-essential” spending, slow hiring, and build reserves. But the real issue isn’t in D.C.— it’s here in Springfield. Earlier this year, the Governor signed a $55 billion budget with over $1 billion in new taxes and gimmicks. He’s also pushed plans to raise everyday costs, like a $1.50 package delivery tax, new service taxes on haircuts, car repairs, and home maintenance, and a digital ad tax on small businesses.
Meanwhile, Illinois trails neighboring states in job growth, and families are stretched thin by higher costs of living. Record revenues show we don’t have a revenue problem — we have a spending problem. Families live within their means every day. It’s time Springfield did the same.
More Than $1 Billion in Transportation Investments for the 53rd District
I want to highlight a historic level of infrastructure investment coming to the 53rd Senate District under Illinois’ newly proposed $50.6 billion multi-year construction plan.
“This plan represents a major investment in the communities of the 53rd District,” Senator Balkema said. “Our families, farmers, and small businesses rely on safe, dependable roads every day, and this funding will help improve quality of life while supporting local jobs and economic growth.”
Under the Fiscal Year 2026-31 Rebuild Illinois Highway Improvement Program, the 53rd District will see:
- 171 state highway projects with an estimated total cost of more than $900 million.
- 50 local highway projects totaling more than $65 million in improvements.
“These dollars mean safer roads for families, less wear and tear on vehicles, and better connections for the businesses and farms that drive our region’s economy,” Sen. Balkema said. “It’s about making sure our communities get their fair share of resources and ensuring the 53rd District continues to thrive.”
The statewide plan builds on the successes of Rebuild Illinois, the state’s largest-ever capital program, first passed in 2019. Over the next six years, it will dedicate billions to roads and bridges, while also supporting transit, rail, aviation, and pedestrian and bicycle improvements.
One can view the full list of District 53 highway projects here.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time dedicated to promoting screening, education, and prevention around the second most common cancer among American women.
On average, every two minutes, a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer. The National Breast Cancer Foundation reports that one in eight women will face a breast cancer diagnosis at some point in their lifetime. The Foundation also reports that in 2025, an estimated 316,950 women and 2,800 men in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.
However, when detected early, breast cancer carries a five-year survival rate of 99 percent. Today, more than four million breast cancer survivors are living in this country.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is not only about acknowledging the impact of the disease but also about empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health. For more information on breast cancer, visit the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s website.
Fall in Illinois Means Pumpkins
If you’re planning to carve a jack-o’-lantern for Halloween, sip a pumpkin spice latte, or bake a pie for your Thanksgiving table, chances are your pumpkin had its start right here in Illinois.
Illinois continues to lead the nation in pumpkin production, and according to the USDA, farmers harvested a little over 485 million pounds of pumpkins in 2024. The Illinois Farm Bureau notes that the state grows more pumpkins than anywhere else in the world, with 90 to 95 percent of pumpkins used for processing grown here.
Much of that work happens in Morton, Illinois, known as the Pumpkin Capital of the World, where over 85 percent of the world’s canned pumpkin is processed.
This year’s harvest began at the end of August and will continue through early November, filling farms, fields, and patches with pumpkins to be picked and enjoyed.
Be sure to stop by your local pumpkin patch and grab a pumpkin or two to celebrate the spooky season. To find a local pumpkin patch near you, check out Enjoy Illinois’ guide to the state’s best pumpkin patches.
Illinois Archery Deer Season 2025–2026
The Illinois Archery Deer Season began on October 1. For counties that do not have a firearm season, including Cook, DuPage, Lake, and Kane County east of Illinois Route 47, the archery season will run continuously from October 1 through January 18. In counties with firearm deer season and west of Illinois Route 47 in Kane County, the archery season will be divided into three periods: from October 1 to November 20, November 24 to December 3, and December 8 through January 18.
The harvest limits allow one deer per archer and a maximum of two antlered deer per year across all seasons (youth, archery, muzzleloader, and firearm), except during the special Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) season. Deer seasons are counted within the same 12-month period starting from July 1. Hunters should check Hunt Illinois for site-specific regulations, as some public sites may have rules that are more restrictive than state or county regulations.
In Illinois, tree stands are the leading cause of hunting-related accidents, so the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) strongly recommends that hunters review safe tree stand practices before heading out. For additional guidance, hunters can consult the 2025–2026 Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations and view the annual deer harvest report.
For more information about the archery deer season, contact the Illinois Department of Natural Resources at 217-782-6302 or email dnr.hunting@illinois.gov.