Lake County Gazette

Martin McLaughlin, the state representative for Illinois House District 52, said that Democrat-led budget mismanagement and tax hikes are prompting residents to leave Illinois. He made this assertion during an Illinois Freedom Caucus press conference focused on discussing findings from the Illinois DOGE series.

"Illinois has been growing two things; government jobs and the profits of Mayflower and UHAUL as people leave Illinois because we aren't giving them a reason to stay," said IL State Rep. Marty McLaughlin, IL State Representative, District 52, according to YouTube. "We're increasing spending and ignoring outmigration."

According to the Illinois House Republicans, led by members of the Illinois Freedom Caucus, state funds are increasingly being allocated to advocacy organizations that lack public accountability requirements. They called for greater budget transparency, independent audits, and reductions in funding for controversial organizations receiving substantial state grants for political or identity-driven programming.

During the press conference, lawmakers referenced reporting from the Illinois DOGE series—a collaboration between Local Government Information Services (LGIS), Breakthrough Ideas, and others—which is featured in LGIS-owned publications such as Chicago City Wire, Prairie State Wire, and over 30 other state journals.

McLaughlin highlighted ongoing budget mismanagement and tax increases referred to as "revenue enhancements," attributing these issues to Democrat-led spending in Illinois. He claimed this approach enriches politically connected insiders while hindering the private sector. McLaughlin also accused Governor J.B. Pritzker of prioritizing national political ambitions over addressing fiscal challenges within Illinois.

An analysis of Illinois' FY2025 budget and state grant records reveals funding allocations to various nonprofits and advocacy organizations, according to the Illinois DOGE Investigative Series. The Indo-American Center (IAC) received over $25.5 million in state grants, including $6.755 million in FY2023–24 and $18.255 million in FY2024–25, primarily designated for infrastructure projects. The Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) was awarded $11.48 million across 43 grants from 2020 to 2025, with $2.6 million allocated for FY2025. Centro de Trabajadores Unidos (CTU) secured $4 million in FY2025 grants, nearly quadrupling its 2022 revenue, along with an additional $3 million for infrastructure improvements.

The Black Researchers Collective is allocated $700,000 annually. The Chicago Therapy Collective received $1.5 million in 2024 under categories such as "violence prevention" and "building renovations." TMH Mancave was granted $750,000 since 2024 through the Build Illinois Bond Fund. Additionally, the FY2025 budget includes $73 million for local chambers of commerce and economic development nonprofits and $237 million for racial, ethnic, and religious NGOs, with many organizations receiving multiple grants across different budget lines.