From State Senator Don DeWitte:
| Governor J.B. Pritzker’s budget address last week drew sharp criticism because it was short on substance and heavy on finger-pointing. Under the Governor’s proposal, government spending would exceed $56 billion, a new record-high for Illinois, and includes more than $700 million in new taxes and gimmicks. Since 2019, Gov. Pritzker has increased government spending by nearly 40 percent, a pace that far exceeds the cost of inflation and any increases Illinoisans have seen in their personal paychecks. Illinois continues to lag the nation economically while ranking near the top in out-migration, with families and businesses leaving for lower taxes and better opportunities. I saw nothing in the budget address that would reverse those troubling trends. The recommended budget reduces local government distributions and shortchanges schools. It also underfunds $45 million meant to reduce property taxes and cuts funding for mandated school transportation services. Worst of all, Pritzker’s budget fails to properly fund services and caretaker pay rates for the state’s intellectually and disabled community. Two key takeaways: 1) The phrase “property taxes” was not mentioned even once. It’s the biggest issue facing Illinois families, yet it was not mentioned in the Governor’s speech. 2) The words “Donald Trump” were said 13 times during the speech that was supposed to introduce the Governor’s recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2027. The Governor can try to blame the Trump Administration for Illinois’ financial problems, but it is JB Pritzker and Democrats in Illinois who have increased state spending by $18 billion since Pritzker took office less than eight years ago. It took the State of Illinois nearly 200 years to get to the point where the state budget was $40 billion. Governor Pritzker has increased the budget in just eight years to $56 billion. That’s not due to decisions coming out of Washington. It’s due to decisions made right here in Illinois by a Democrat-controlled legislature. Following the speech, I addressed the Springfield media corps and offered my thoughts. |
