{"id":7438,"date":"2025-03-24T17:49:45","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T17:49:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/princetonillinois.com\/?p=7438"},"modified":"2025-03-24T17:49:45","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T17:49:45","slug":"heres-what-illinois-valley-lawmakers-said-about-gov-jb-pritzkers-budget-address-shaw-local-news-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/princetonillinois.com\/?p=7438","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s what Illinois Valley lawmakers said about Gov. JB Pritzker\u2019s budget address – Shaw Local News Network"},"content":{"rendered":"


Gov.\u00a0JB Pritzker\u00a0has proposed growing spending by about $2 billion without new income or service taxes in the upcoming fiscal year. <\/span>(Jerry Nowicki)
Gov. JB Pritzker<\/a> has proposed growing spending by about $2 billion without new income or service taxes in the upcoming fiscal year.
Spending and revenues would each grow by about 3% under the proposal laid out Wednesday during the governor\u2019s annual budget address, with total general revenue fund spending growing to $55.2 billion.
For the full story on the governor\u2019s address, go to:
[ <\/span>Pritzker proposes $2B in spending growth without new income or service taxes<\/a> ]<\/span>
Rezin said the governor\u2019s proposed budget relies on \u201coverly optimistic revenue projections and gimmicks to appear balanced, only for taxpayers to be left with the consequences when reality sets in.\u201d
\u201cThis year is no different, as he has put forward a budget proposal that exceeds $55 billion, making it the largest spending plan in Illinois history,\u201d Rezin said. \u201cAt a time when hardworking families are making tough financial decisions to keep up with the rising cost of living, the Governor is doing the opposite. His budget represents a nearly 40% increase since he took office, far outpacing the growth of Illinois families\u2019 incomes. Instead of prioritizing fiscal responsibility, he continues to place the burden on taxpayers to fund his ever-expanding government, ignoring the financial realities that everyday Illinoisans face.\u201d
Rezin said she was encouraged the governor said he would scale back non-citizen health care.
\u201cI remain skeptical about the long-term sustainability of his overall budget proposal,\u201d Rezin said. \u201cThis budget will not be real until we see the final numbers later this spring and a true commitment to fiscal responsibility.\u201d
Arellano said the budget proposal highlights ongoing fiscal mismanagement and a troubling financial path.
\u201cSince taking office, Gov. Pritzker has made history by passing the largest budgets in Illinois’ history,\u201d Arellano said. \u201cAt a time when families across our state are tightening their belts to make ends meet, this administration is doubling down on even more spending. More spending means more taxes, and what the Governor failed to mention in his speech \u2014 but included in his proposal \u2014 is a tax hike on Illinois job creators. These are just more ways to take money out of Illinoisans\u2019 pockets.”
Arellano also said he was encouraged to hear the Governor listening to Republicans in his proposal to rolling back free healthcare for non-citizens.
\u201cIn the months ahead, we must focus on real solutions\u2014property tax relief, safer streets, better schools and meaningful economic growth,” Arellano said. \u201cWe must also address our state\u2019s pension shortfalls<\/i> without shifting the burden onto local municipalities. Illinois families deserve leaders who respect their paychecks, not politicians who treat them as a blank check for bigger government.\u201d
\u201cUnfortunately for Illinois, Gov. Pritzker proposed the largest budget in the history of Illinois, bringing the total budget growth to nearly $15 billion, a 37% jump, since he took office,\u201d Balkema said. \u201cI mean think about that for a minute. Has your income increased even close to that percentage in the last few years?
\u201cThis plan has some encouraging aspects, including a commitment to reevaluating certain state-funded programs. However, as always, the real test will be in the final budget negotiations. We have seen time and time again that promises made in a budget address do not always translate into action.
\u201cMy focus remains on ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly and in a way that reflects the priorities of Illinois families. I look forward to working with my colleagues to craft a budget that serves our state in a sustainable way.\u201d
\u201cFor too long, a select few have crafted the budget behind closed doors, shutting out the voices of taxpayers and their representatives,\u201d Davis said. \u201cThese antics must end. Every legislator should have a seat at the table so we may craft an accountable and transparent budget, working for all the people of Illinois.
\u201cBut let\u2019s be clear \u2014 the most alarming part of (Wednesday\u2019s) address wasn\u2019t just the bad math, it was the outright dangerous rhetoric. The Governor comparing everyday Americans concerned about border security to Nazis is appalling. It\u2019s reckless, divisive and frankly beneath the office he holds. Illinoisans deserve better.”
\u201cInstead of focusing on bringing costs down for hard-working Illinois families, the Governor chose name-calling and fearmongering in his speech,\u201d Tipsword said. \u201cAnd no amount of blaming President Trump can erase the bad decisions Illinois Democrats have made under this Governor\u2019s leadership. House Republicans will continue to advocate for economic growth through sound policies, reducing costs, and opposing any tax increases.\u201d
Fritts was critical Pritzker didn\u2019t reign in spending habits aat a time when he said Illinoisans are cutting back spending.
\u201cIt\u2019s long overdue for the majority party to start making budget cuts the same way hardworking Illinoisans have been forced to do for years,\u201d Fritts said.
Fritts also was critical of the governor\u2019s rhetoric toward the president.
\u201cI, for one, am sick and tired of the same rhetoric, deceit, and blame that comes from the majority party in Illinois,\u201d Fritts said. \u201cThe Governor wants to criticize what he refers to as an \u2018authoritarian regime.\u2019 Perhaps the Governor has short-term memory loss, but I remember just a few years ago when he exercised authoritarian rule over Illinois during the COVID-19 pandemic under the guise of public health. What about the schools he forced to close, the children he forced to mask and the hardworking men and women he left out to dry while he enjoyed the freedom of Wisconsin and Florida? This failed attempt to score political points on the current Presidential administration is nothing more than Gov. Pritzker throwing stones from his own glass mansion.\u201d
Shaw Local News Network will update her response as soon as it is released.
Spain called Pritzker\u2019s speech highly political, believing the governor was addressing the country more than the state and looking at higher political aspirations, such as the presidency.
Spain said the state is facing challenges of loss of population, high taxes and lack of economic growth.
\u201cYet we continue to spend more and more,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s the record Pritzker will have to reconcile.\u201d
Spain also warned about the state playing the role as antagonizer with the president, saying he doesn\u2019t want the state to be involved in constant bickering.
Copyright \u00a9 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright \u00a9 2023 Shaw Local News Network<\/p>\n

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Gov.\u00a0JB Pritzker\u00a0has proposed growing spending by about $2 billion without new income or service taxes in the upcoming fiscal year. (Jerry Nowicki)Gov. JB Pritzker has proposed growing spending by about $2 billion without new income or service taxes in the upcoming fiscal year.Spending and revenues would each grow by about 3% under the proposal laid out Wednesday during the governor\u2019s<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t