The Illinois House of Representatives adopted aresolutionJune 22 to encourage airline travel to the Bahamas.

In an executive session called after the special session adjourned in just under 11 minutes, House Resolution 290 was adopted via voice vote. State Rep. Marcus Evans, D-Chicago, state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, and state Rep. Camille Lilly, D-Chicago, sponsored the resolution.

The resolution encourages airlines flying between Illinois and the Bahamas to explore increasing the amount of flights between Illinois and the Bahamas.

And instead of encouraging in-state tourism, HR 290 promotes a newluxury resortin the Bahamas that opened in April.

While encouraging the taxpayers they represent to spend money out of state, Illinois still has no budget.

The Illinois Senate adjourned from special session June 22 after just 11 minutes and 54 seconds, and also failed to advance a budget. The special legislative session will cost taxpayers about $50,000 per day, according to an estimate from the Chicago Tribune.

Both sides of the aisle in Springfieldclaim to want a compromiseon a budgetto prevent Illinois from becoming the first state in the union with a junk credit rating. BothDemocratsandRepublicans have proposed plansto raise taxes by more than $5 billion, which wouldincrease the average Illinois households tax burden by $1,125 a year. But Illinoisans have expressed that they dont want a budget that hikes taxes.

Nearly two-thirdsof likely Illinois voters dont want an income tax hike as part of the state budget, according to polling conducted by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates and commissioned by the Illinois Policy Institute. More than three-quarters of respondentsopposehiking sales taxes. Andnearly 80 percentagree Illinois state lawmakers should pass major structural reforms before passing any tax increase.

The Illinois Policy Institute has introduced a budget proposal that offers real reform without raising taxes. This kind of reform-minded, no-tax-hike proposal is in line with what Illinoisans want. Lawmakers should use that as a framework while taxpayers pay for their costly special session.

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The Illinois House of Representatives adopted a resolution June 22 to encourage airline travel to the Bahamas. - Madison County Record