From State Rep. Marty McLaughlin:
State Rep. Martin McLaughlin Calls for $8 Billion in Spending Reductions, Says Governor Playing “Blame Game” on Budget Reality
Lake Barrington, IL – State Representative Martin McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills) today called for immediate and significant reductions in state spending, highlighting an alternative budget proposal that would cut up to $8 billion in unnecessary government waste.
He also criticized both Governor J.B. Pritzker and the legislative supermajority for what he described as years of fiscal imbalance and misplaced blame.
Referring to the Governor’s budget address, McLaughlin responded to comments blaming Washington for “illegally confiscating money that has already been promised and appropriated by Congress to the people of Illinois.”
“Governor Pritzker has the audacity to make this claim while Illinois continues to withhold revenue from our local municipalities,” McLaughlin said.
“The state is required to distribute 10% of income tax receipts to local governments.
“Instead, it has at times only distributed 6%, costing taxpayers and homeowners billions at the local level through higher property taxes.
“The Governor and the supermajority need to be held accountable for unchecked spending, rampant inflation, and growing unaffordability across Illinois.”
McLaughlin, a 30 year financial professional, noted that over the past three years, he has publicly forecast — six to nine months in advance — that state revenues would fall short of budget projections.
“Unfortunately for taxpayers each and every time, I was correct,” he said. “The supermajority inflates revenue expectations to make their numbers work. When reality sets in, they panic and go back to the well with more fees and unnecessary taxes.”
He pointed to what he called regressive policies impacting working families, including taxes and surcharges on nicotine products, streaming services like Netflix, food delivery services such as DoorDash, and entertainment ticket purchases.
“There is nothing progressive about these sorts of new taxes and surcharges,” McLaughlin said. “These policies hurt hourly workers and salaried employees alike. They hurt families trying to climb the economic ladder.”
“If we want to fix our budget then we must grow businesses and opportunities, like the new Bears stadium project which will bring thousands of jobs, large scale events, and a world class revenue generating machine.”
McLaughlin also criticized what he described as the Governor’s political messaging.“The Governor is playing a blame game — blaming others when fiscal imbalance and tax increases have occurred for years under his watch and the watch of the supermajorities who control this legislature,” McLaughlin said. “You cannot spend beyond your means year after year and pretend someone else is responsible.”
While emphasizing he takes no pleasure in forecasting fiscal shortfalls, McLaughlin said he would welcome being proven wrong.
“I would prefer to be wrong. But in five years here, I haven’t been,” he said. “As someone who comes from the business world, I can tell you this town could use an ounce of common sense, business acumen, and discernment. Without it, Illinois’ budget will continue to grow and continue to hit families, businesses, and taxpayers the hardest.”
McLaughlin called for a structural shift in budget priorities: “We need to shrink the budget. Shrink our spending,” he said. “In short, we need a large dose of fiscal Ozempic GLP-1. I don’t mean glucagon-like peptide. I mean: “Get Lower Prices.”
In closing, McLaughlin added a note of bipartisan encouragement: “Let’s work together to reduce the size of this budget, make Illinois fiscally healthy and affordable again.”
