Working for Illinois Caucus

December 25, 2025
Dear editor;

I hope that you are all relaxing and enjoying the holidays.

As the year comes to an end, Team Kifowit and I are taking the time to reflect on all the places we have visited. I have gone across Illinois and met wonderful people along the way. From Rockford to Granite City, Team Kifowit has found a way to be there. That means a lot of driving, some long train rides, and even hopping on the smallest of planes. Thank you for everyone who has helped our campaign this year, whether it is chipping in a few dollars, volunteering at events, or simply sharing our posts on social media – it all adds up to a successful campaign that focuses on the people of Illinois and not special interests or millionaires.

I enjoyed gathering petition signatures, and personally met more than 4,000 people, shook their hands, learned their names and I remember their faces and stories. Thank you to everyone who has helped along this journey, and I look forward to meeting so many more individuals in 2026.

For today, I’m going to join my dog Smoke, relax by the fire and enjoy time with my family as I hope you are enjoying with yours.

All my best,

Stephanie Kifowit, State representative, and candidate for comptroller

Montgomery Democratic State Rep. Matt Hanson says the recently signed transit bill provides significant benefits beyond the Chicago transit system. Governor J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 2111 into law last week, which will create $1.5 billion in annual revenue to help fund key infrastructure for Chicago area transit and provide about $169 million in additional funding for downstate transit programs.

"I think about the out-of-RTA area first and municipalities and other entities have had to grab money wherever they could to fund their respective public transit and especially their ride on demand that many of those that are seniors are in the disabled community rely on. So it’s absolutely a lifeline for them."

Hanson says that necessary road infrastructure projects throughout the state will not be impacted by the redirection of funds from motor fuel sales taxes and interest accrued in the state’s road fund to transit funding as Republican lawmakers have claimed would happen. He also says the appointment of representatives to oversight boards through the newly established Northern Illinois Transit Authority will be made appropriately with qualified candidates.

With his experience in transit as an engineer, Hanson was added as a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 2111, which was approved during the fall veto session and takes effect on June 1, 2026.

ROCKFORD, Ill. — A state transportation reform bill was passed with support from a local politician.

State Representative Dave Vella (D-Rockford) supported Senate Bill 2111, which he said will expand access to "affordable, reliable" public transit in the Rockford area. The bill includes almost $150 million in new funds for downstate communities.

Rep. Vella said that while a lot of the focus is on Chicago area transit, attention should be called to underfunded public transportation systems, including Rockford Mass Transit District.

"Transit is not just a convenience, it’s a lifeline for workers, families, and local economies," said Vella. "By prioritizing safety and modernizing service, we’re building a system where riders feel secure, workers feel supported, and communities stay connected."

Senate Bill 2111 was said to invest in statewide transit systems by using existing state funds and the state’s Transportation Fund interest, not higher fares or taxes on delivery services, tickets, or rideshares, according to Vella.

The new law will also create an IDOT committee to better study different transit systems.

Senate Bill 2111 was signed and became law on Tuesday.

Plainfield-Oswego Democratic State Rep. Harry Benton says he did not appreciate comments made by Chicago Bears President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Warren this week about expanding the search for a new Bears stadium site after lawmakers reportedly told the team that any stadium legislation would not be heard in 2026. Benton says lawmakers have been working with the Bears on policy involving their Arlington Heights proposal for years but want to make sure things are done effectively.

"The Arlington Heights deal seemed like it was kind of a done deal that they were going to leave Chicago, but we did work on a kind of a tax freeze. So it wasn’t costing anything. They just were essentially freezing their property taxes, which would stem new development and also create a whole new economy there in Arlington Heights. Now they’re putting out the letter that they wanna go to northwest Indiana, and it seems like a power play that they’ve played with for a while now."

In the letter, which was sent to Bears season ticket holders this week, Warren says since lawmakers do not seem to share the "sense of urgency and appreciation for public partnership" that the Bears do, their stadium search continues across the Chicagoland area, including northwest Indiana. Benton says those comments have been used as threats to negotiate before but come off as false promises.

Benton believes that the Bears and lawmakers will come to an agreement on the original Arlington Heights proposal at some point this year but says there are other options.

State representative Stephanie Kifowit is voicing strong support for Aurora Firefighters Local 99 and raising serious concerns about staffing reductions proposed in the 2026 Aurora city government budget.

City officials have claimed that eliminating 18 firefighters, three Battalion Chiefs, one Training Officer, and two frontline fire trucks will not compromise public safety. Representative Kifowit joined Local 99 in rejecting those assertions as misleading and dangerous.

“Eliminating critical frontline personnel and equipment cannot happen without impacting public safety,” said representative Kifowit. “If we expect firefighters to save lives, we must ensure they have the staff and resources required to do so safely.”

Although the City emphasizes an overall $1.5 million budget increase for the Fire Department, these targeted cuts will directly affect response times, emergency readiness, and the safety of both residents and firefighters.

“These are not abstract numbers,” representative Kifowit continued. “Every firefighter removed from a shift and every truck taken out of service slows response and increases risk. Suggesting otherwise is simply irresponsible.”

Local 99 has also warned that these reductions will lead to higher long-term costs through forced overtime, injury leave, workers’ compensation, and preventable operational failures — concerns representative Kifowit echoed.

“Short-term budgeting that creates long-term risk is not fiscally responsible,” said representative Kifowit. “It leaves the community vulnerable and places undue strain on the firefighters we rely on during emergencies.”

Representative Kifowit emphasized that with rising call volumes and increasingly complex emergencies, Aurora must maintain a fully staffed and fully supported fire service stating, “We cannot expect our firefighters to do more with less.”

Representative Kifowit concluded: “When our firefighters tell us these cuts are unsafe, we should listen. I will continue to stand with Local 99 and with every resident who expects — and deserves — a fire department that is fully staffed, fully prepared, and fully funded.”

— State representative Stephanie Kifowit

Lawmakers across Illinois, including Aurora Democratic State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, are working on drafting legislation for the spring legislative session coming up in January. Kifowit says she has received ideas from constituents on pressing topics like pension reform and property tax relief.

Kifowit says a proposal on reforming the tier two pension system, which has been in place since 2011, is needed to comply with federal guidelines. The General Assembly did not take action on pension reform during the fall veto session in October. Kifowit says without an effective pension plan in place, the state has started to see less retention and recruitment success in key areas like law enforcement and education.

"We also need to recognize that we, the state as a whole, is having a huge, huge retention and recruitment issue for key positions. Whether it’s teachers, whether it’s correctional officers, even state police, anybody that works for the state. We’re having a huge crisis getting good people, and part of the reason is because our neighboring states have a better pension plan than we do. And the private sector has a better retirement plan with Social Security and a 401k than we do."

Kifowit is also providing information to property tax relief task forces and committees to help bring effective property tax relief legislation to the General Assembly and help working families and others struggling with increases in recent years.