February 18, 2023 6-9PM
124 N 5th
Quincy, IL

RE: HB5471 – Protect Illinois Communities Act

To Whom It May Concern,

The right to keep and bear arms for the defense of life, liberty and property is regarded as an inalienable right by the people of Adams County, Illinois.

The Adams County Republican Party, among many others, believe that HB5471 is a clear violation of the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution.

The above-mentioned legislation infringes the right to keep and bear arms, banning the possession and use of certain firearms and magazines now legally owned or possessed by our individual citizens. Responsible persons are prevented from owning or possessing certain firearms and firearm accessories or face becoming instant felons.

The Adams County Republican Party hereby expresses strong opposition of the enactment of any of the above-mentioned legislation, or any similar legislation, that would infringe upon the right of the people, particularly those rights to keep and bear arms, and considers such laws to be unconstitutional and beyond lawful legislative authority.

Further, we urge that the Illinois General Assembly cease further actions restricting the right of the people to keep and bear arms, repeal this enacted legislation and/or urge the Governor of Illinois to veto all such legislation.


Best Regards,
Dave Bockhold
Chairman, Adams County Republican Central Committee

I, myself and I’m sure most all Republicans oppose this and the rest of Pritzker’s policies. I am a gun owner (some might say a gun hoarder), hunter and an accomplished trap shooter. I am an NRA member and more importantly a member of the Illinois State Rifle Association, the ISRA ( https://isra.org/join-us/ ) will be the lead on fighting this in court and I encourage everyone to join and donate to the cause. What everyone needs to realize is that the ACRCC is not a governmental body and as Party, Vice Chairman John Mast said has no authority on whether or not laws are complied with. Our responsibility is to recruit and help elect Republicans that will oppose these types of policies. I believe we have been very successful in that regard as evidenced by the actions of the Adams County Board, our new Adams County Sheriff and our state legislators voting against it. This issue will have to play out in the courts. I’m sure the governor won’t care one iota what we think, but the ACRCC will be glad to help further oppose this policy in any way we can.
Adams County Republican Party
Chairman
Dave Bockhold

The Adams County Republican Party will be joining with the Quincy Tea Party for an election night watch party at the Quincy Holiday Inn on Tuesday November 8. It will start at 6:30 p.m., food will be available for purchase from Tony’s Too and there will be a cash bar.

ICYMI: Amendment #1 is Bad Policy at the Worst Time

Governor Pritzker and Illinois Democrats put millions of dollars behind a failed tax referendum in 2020. Now the Democrats are proposing a trojan horse tax increase via yet another constitutional referendum this election, called Amendment 1 or the Workers Rights Amendment (WRA), a misnomer if there ever was one. Amendment 1 is not a workers rights amendment. It is a government union power grab that would give unions like Chicago Teachers Union and AFSCME super-legislative powers and trigger property tax increases across our state.

From Crain’s Chicago Business on October 3rd:

“If the WRA passes, Illinois will stand out for giving broader constitutional protections to organized labor than any other state. Its sweeping language provides that “workers shall have the fundamental right to organize and to bargain collectively” over wages, hours, working conditions, workplace safety “and to protect their economic welfare.” It bars any legislation that interferes with this right, and—going further than any of the handful of states that constitutionally protect collective bargaining—explicitly prohibits “right to work laws” like those recently adopted by neighboring states.

The WRA is bad policy, and it couldn’t come at a worse time. A broad grant of constitutional power to unions would fuel the growing belief that Illinois is hostile to business. And a new restriction on labor-related legislation would tie the hands of lawmakers as they try to respond to the state’s ever-evolving needs…

…The WRA would similarly hamstring government in dealing with important public policy questions. In addition to the specifically enumerated bargaining rights, it puts loosely defined matters relating to the “economic welfare” of workers beyond the reach of legislators. Imagine how far an aggressive union could stretch that elastic concept…

That’s the last thing we need now. Concerns over Illinois’ business climate—the crime, the taxes, the regulatory burdens—are spreading far and wide, while defections of big-name companies Boeing, Caterpillar and Citadel grab headlines.

At the same time, we’re competing for big economic prizes such as electric-vehicle battery plants with states deemed more business-friendly. Our reputation as a difficult place to do business surely contributed to our failure to win one of roughly 20 North American EV battery plants announced so far.

Bestowing special constitutional status on unions would give companies one more reason to avoid Illinois.”

“Amendment 1 would make our state even less business-friendly and less competitive right as businesses already leave our state in droves. It would empower and make state and city bureaucrats and employees even less efficient and accountable than they are now. This constitutional referendum grants super-legislative powers to union bosses that could only be changed by further constitutional referendums, not legislative action. Illinois voters should reject Amendment 1 as the government union power grab and trojan horse pathway to tax increases that it is,” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy

SAFE-T ACT TOWN HALL
Join State Senator Jil Tracy
Wednesday, October 19 | 6 PM – 7:30 pm
John Wood Community College in the Auditorium
1301 S. 48th St., Quincy, IL 62305

We now have our temporary Adams County Republican headquarters open at 938 Maine Street in the old Pop’s Pizza location, mainly for sign distribution. The hours are Tuesdays & Thursdays from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. and Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m.

This is a quick reminder for Senator Jil Tracy’s Annual Legislative Luncheon Friday October 21, 2022 at 11:30am!
Holiday Inn
4821 Oak St, Quincy, IL

We do request that you RSVP ahead of time. You may do so by contacting [email protected], or by calling 815.513.5215.

We now have our temporary Adams County Republican headquarters open at 938 Maine Street in the old Pop’s Pizza location, mainly for sign distribution. The hours are Tuesdays & Thursdays from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. and Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11TH
5:30-7:00 P.M
The Gas Lamp Inn & Eatery
1477 Maine Street | Quincy, IL