Waste watch: Illinois gives $45M to select business groups

Some Illinois lawmakers handed money to their local business associations. Should everyone’s taxes subsidize certain groups because their lawmakers had clout?

Illinois state lawmakers are playing favorites with other people’s money by granting over $45M to their local business associations and chambers of commerce.

The 30 recipients included Austin African American Business Network Association, Joliet Latino Economic Development Association and the Assyrian American Chamber. Illinois has about 350 chambers of commerce and over 2,000 business-related groups.

While these 30 chambers likely provide legitimate and valuable services to members, lawmakers should not force taxpayers across the state to support specific, private, local groups. State funding of specific chambers effectively subsidizes some businesses and regions over others. Chambers of commerce should be funded entirely by member dues.

This spending follows state lawmakers’ pattern of secretly funding projects such as floating museums, NASCAR and a center to “rethink” capitalism using taxpayer money. Taxpayers get little insight into why their money is being spent through these lawmaker grants.

Business associations funded in this year’s budget include:

• Austin African American Business Network Association – $19.45 million.
• South Asian American Chamber – $3.25 million.
• Greater Englewood Chamber – $3 million.
• South Shore Chamber – $2.8 million.
• Little Village Chamber – $1.95 million.
• Chatham Business Association – $1.95 million.
• Hispanic Chamber of Illinois – $1.93 million.
• Southeast Chicago Chamber – $1.6 million.
• Greater Roseland Chamber – $1.25 million.
• Chicago Black Chamber – $1 million.
• Grand O’Hare Chamber – $750,000.
• Washington Park Chamber – $750,000.
• Midway Chamber – $700,000.
• Assyrian American Chamber – $500,000.
• Hegewisch Business Association – $497,000.
• Joliet Latino Economic Development Association – $450,000.
• Logan Square Chamber – $450,000.
• Hyde Park Chamber – $400,000.
• Northwest Hispanic Chamber – $350,000.
• Aurora Regional Hispanic Chamber – $250,000.
• Belmont Central Chamber – $250,000.
• Wicker Park Chamber – $250,000.
• Black Chamber of Lake County – $233,000.
• Metro Black Chamber – $200,000.
• Hermosa Belmont Cragin Chamber – $200,000.
• South Suburban Region Black Chamber – $200,000.
• Austin Chamber – $158,000.
• Melrose Park Chamber – $150,000.
• South Holland Business Association – $125,000.
• Chamber 57 – $105,000.

These funds come from both the state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and from the Department of Human Services.

Some of the grants – including those to the Grand O’Hare and Logan Square Chambers – cover the organizations’ operating expenses.

Communities such as Logan Square, whose median household income is about 10% higher than the state average, cannot reasonably be defined as high need by statewide standards.

Lawmakers claimed the 2026 budget contained no pork, but a closer look shows 2,815 items over $200,000 that lawmakers decided to fund in the final hours of the legislative session. Those expenses were rushed, likely harmful to taxpayers and allowed no time for public scrutiny.

The items include money for moving pigs, for a private theater and $40 million for a sports complex at the alma mater of Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch.

Competitive grants with objective evaluation criteria and reporting requirements should be scored and tracked by a state agency to ensure the funds are allocated and used properly. These earmarks should be made public well in advance of the budget vote – not hidden until state lawmakers can get a photo-op to bolster their reelection bids. Taxpayers should know why the money is being spent and what the public should expect in return for the support.

Reforms such as a state budget spending cap, mandatory public review periods and detailed grant disclosures would help restore transparency and trust in Springfield. A little sunshine would ward off waste.

Want to see the 2,815 earmarks over $200,000 state lawmakers put in this year’s budget? Use our look-up tool below.