Rockford Sun

In an April 19 post on his website, Sen. Neil Anderson called out the fiscal year 2023 budget as full of 'election year gimmicks' and demanded more permanent solutions.

"In what is already a historic year for rising inflation costs, where families are struggling to make ends meet, this was the year to shore up our budget with the additional $16 billion received in unexpected revenue from the federal government," Anderson said on his website. "Clearly, there's a fundamental difference between parties where Democrats want to offer short-term, election-year tax relief, and Republicans want permanent solutions with permanent tax relief. The government shouldn't decide how to best spend your money, instead you should keep your money and spend it how you see fit."

The $46.5 billion budget passed by the General Assembly in April includes temporary suspension of the state's sales tax on groceries and the fuel tax. It also includes property tax rebates for homeowners.

Anderson isn't the only Republican speaking out against the budget. Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Champaign) said that a Republican-backed bill, Senate Bill 4164, would be better for the people of Illinois. "On all counts, our plan is far superior to what's been released by either the House Democrats or the Senate Democrats," Rose said. "The sales tax on gasoline is far more relief to families in this state than their plan and the governor's plan. On property taxes, it provides better relief."