Our Daily Show Interview! Senator Erica Harriss: 2024 Recap & A Look at 2025!
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ALTON - With the 2025 lame duck session set to begin this weekend, State Senator Erica Harriss stopped by “Our Daily Show!” with C.J. Nasello to reflect on the past year.
Harriss noted that 2024 was her second year in office, and she said it was “awesome.” With her recent induction to the Women in Technology Task Force and her continued push for a property tax freeze for seniors, she has stayed busy throughout her first term and looks ahead to a positive future.
“Really, we had a great, effective year number two,” she said. “It continues to be an honor to be able to represent people in our district. It’s great being in Springfield, but I love being back in the district and just being able to connect with people and groups and organizations and hear what’s important to you.”
Harriss emphasized that most of her initiatives come from the people she represents. She pointed to Rusty Wheat as an example, a local man who has become an advocate for trash clean-up in the Riverbend. After an appointment with Wheat, Harriss spoke with other legislators and eventually collaborated on two bills to help combat trash and litter.
She also meets regularly with the mayors of the towns in the 56th District. These mayoral roundtables allow her to learn more about what’s happening in her district.
“We all sit down together and get to hear what’s happening,” she explained. “I tell them what’s happening in Springfield. They tell me what’s happening in their communities. And that has been really helpful for me to help advocate for them.”
Harriss said infrastructure “continues to be a major issue” in the 56th District. She has heard a lot about infrastructure funding concerns during her meetings with local mayors. She is working with federal representatives to “be another voice for the community” and share those concerns, which has led to more federal assistance “coming down the pipeline.”
As a member of the Women in Technology Task Force, Harriss will participate in data collection and then put together recommendations to guide future state policies. She expressed her eagerness to serve on the task force, especially as the use of AI and technology increases locally with the opening of the Wedge Innovation Center in Alton.
“I’m so excited to be able to be on the ground level for this and again, obviously, always being an advocate for Southern Illinois here,” she said. “It is a great opportunity to have a voice down here from Southern Illinois. We have investment happening at the Wedge, and so I think that will be a great opportunity for different items to work kind of in tandem and simultaneously and hopefully come together in a great marriage of success for our community.”
Looking forward, Harriss said she will refile the property tax bill that aimed to freeze property taxes for seniors. She noted that amounts in Cook County are currently different from existing legislation in the Metro East.
She also spoke on a Madison County ballot initiative that assessed voters’ interest in separating from Cook County. During the 2024 consolidated election, 56.54% of Madison County voters voted in favor of exploring separation. Harriss said this “sent a message.”
State legislators will return to Springfield on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, for the lame duck session. Harriss said this is the time when more “controversial” bills are often passed. She said she has heard of an energy bill and an assisted suicide bill that might come through during this session, though she has yet to see any language on either.
Harriss emphasized that she is in this job to advocate for the people of the 56th District, and she encouraged community members to visit her website at SenatorEricaHarriss.com for more information, including how to stay up-to-date on her work.
“Really, the big message is, I want to be the best representative I can for you, so to do that, communication is so key,” she added. “Call the office anytime. We would love to help you with state issues. If it’s not a state issue, we’re happy to try to send you in the right direction as well or use our connections to try to send you to the right place and get you help. We don’t want government to be frustrating.”
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