Here’s what southwestern IL lawmakers say about Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget proposal
Metro-east lawmakers responded to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed budget after he delivered his address in Springfield Wednesday.
While the fiscal year 2022 proposal doesn’t include any income tax increases, it does rely on generating $932 million through cutting corporate tax breaks and “decoupling” state from federal tax break laws approved as part of Congress’ COVID-19 relief package last year.
The governor’s proposed budget for the fiscal year, which begins July 1, reflects a 4.2% reduction from this year’s budget. It’s up to the General Assembly to consider Pritzker’s proposal and pass its own budget.
Here’s how southwestern Illinois lawmakers reacted to the budget proposal.
State Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro
“Today the Governor of Illinois stood before the people of this state and demonstrated just how out-of-touch he is with the struggles and challenges Illinoisans have faced in their every-day lives over the past year.
“Just months ago, the voters of this state rejected the Administration’s attempt to increase personal income taxes and now that tough decisions have to be made to compensate for the Governor’s irresponsible spending, the Governor is doubling down.
“The budget put forth today is $1.7 billion out-of-balance, cuts funding to our Department of Corrections, redirects critical funding from Illinois’ infrastructure and eliminates hundreds-of-millions of dollars in business incentives.
“At a time when the hardworking families and the job creators of this state need responsible leadership the most, Governor Pritzker is once again failing them.”
State Sen. Rachelle Crowe, D-Glen Carbon
“In the budget proposal, I agree with the state’s commitment to support human services, make full payments to the state’s pension obligation, fund public safety initiatives and increase resources for the Illinois Department of Unemployment Security to assist with the benefit case backlog.
“As conversations continue, I will be a strong advocate for the state to invest in our children and safety for working families across the Metro East.”
State Rep. Amy Elik, R-Fosterburg
“As a CPA, I am disappointed to learn that Governor Pritzker is using the same smoke and mirrors for the third time in a row to say his budget is balanced when indeed it’s not. The fact is, the Pritzker budget proposal fails to include a plan to pay off Illinois’ $5 billion in unpaid bills, and no realistic plan to pay off the $4.3 billion the state recently borrowed. The governor’s budget is more of the same — failed tax and spending schemes that continue to put our state further into debt. It’s time for the legislature to pass a budget that is balanced without new taxes.”
State Rep. LaToya Greenwood, D-East St. Louis
“As our state continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s essential to work toward a bipartisan, balanced budget that works for all Illinoisans. While the governor’s address is just the start of a longer process, it is clear that we need to prioritize investment in affordable and accessible health care. As chair of the House Health Care Access and Availability Committee, I look forward to leading the fight to ensure that no one gets left behind.
“The pandemic has exposed the inequities that exist in our healthcare system and how free and accessible testing can help mitigate the spread of highly contagious viruses such as COVID-19. To ensure the short-term and long-term health of residents, health care needs to be at the forefront of budget negotiations. By doing everything we can to limit the spread of the coronavirus and ensuring residents have access to a safe vaccine, we can then more effectively begin to focus on fully reopening our economy and reinvesting in our communities.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and the governor’s office to achieve a balanced, responsible and fair budget.”
State Rep. Charlie Meier, R-Okawville
“Just like the previous three years, the Governor’s budget proposal announced today does not include a plan to pay off Illinois’ $5.2 billion in unpaid bills. His plan counts on balancing the budget on the backs of businesses that are severely impacted by his forced closures. He wants small businesses to pay more even though many are struggling to stay open as a result of his failed policies.
“I have worked for three years to get an international company headquartered in my district. I am very concerned about the number of jobs our state may lose as a result of Governor Pritzker’s budget proposal. The DCEO grants have brought industry to my rural communities by connecting small businesses to the global economy. Furthermore, I am disappointed that he broke his promise today by proposing to take money away from our local road funds.
“With a swipe of a pen, the Governor is trying to undo what my colleagues and I have accomplished to bring more jobs to Illinois. It’s now up to the General Assembly to approve a budget based on Illinois’ estimated revenue instead of borrowing more money and digging our state deeper into debt, and we must stop punishing businesses that want to stay, expand, or relocate to Illinois.”
State Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville
“The Budget Address delivered by the Governor today perpetuates the same failed gimmicks of the past, supporting a budget that is $1.7 billion out-of-balance while ignoring the hardships the citizens and businesses of this state have faced for the past year.
“And the irony of it all is that the Governor accurately and correctly stated in his budget his constitutional requirement to present a budget based on expected expenditures. Yet, just pages later, he puts forth a plan that relies on $1.5 billion in non-existent revenue
“While the Governor is relying on magic money and empty rhetoric, he’s taking aim at the hardworking men and women of this state by imposing new tax increases on Illinois’ business community under the guise of ‘loopholes.’ These are the job creators and employees that are still working to recover from Pritzker’s imposed shutdowns that he unilaterally placed on our state for months. We should be focused on supporting our business community, not making it harder to do business in Illinois.
“We must address the root cause of Illinois’ fiscal issues, and that starts with passing a balanced budget that helps our businesses, protects our taxpayers and makes Illinois more competitive with our neighbors.”
State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville
“My priority has always been to work toward a fair and responsible budget that provides essential services for downstate Illinois without putting the burden on middle-class families. This remains my priority, especially as we address the COVID-19 pandemic. Our state needs to continue to fund opportunities for free testing, ensure access to vaccinations, and invest in solutions that let our communities and schools reopen safely. I urge Congress to help us achieve these goals through passing a federal COVID-19 relief package. Our small businesses and high-risk populations are depending on more aid to get our state back on track. While there are many tough decisions we will have to make in order to balance our budget, we need to strengthen protections and services for seniors, veterans, and other vulnerable populations at risk during the negotiation process.
“The past year has brought on challenges never faced by our country and our state. While the governor offered a good starting point, budget negotiations will have to include health and safety measures to continue fighting the pandemic while also addressing some of Illinois’ ongoing fiscal issues. With both Democratic and Republican legislators coming together, we can craft a responsible, fair, and balanced budget that works for all Illinoisans.”
This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 2:09 PM.
