Republican Rep. Tom Demmer recently spoke on the House floor to bring attention to the Democrat-led state budget that he says could have had more bipartisanship.
“We pushed for answers and we push for oversight and we pushed for the legislature to exert its role as a co-equal branch of government,” Demmer said. “To be a check and a balance on the executive and the judiciary. Those unusual aspects of the previous year's budget have also made comparisons year to year very difficult.”
Demmer (R-Dixon) is referring to the upcoming 2023 Fiscal Year budget.
"You were bailed out by billions in additional funding from the federal government Medicaid matching funds," Demmer said. "You were bailed out by, across the country, trillions of dollars that were injected into our economies that led to higher than expected collection of revenue for the state temporarily. So as we look at this year's budget and we try to ask which direction is it heading? Is growing spending faster than we're growing revenues? It ignores the fact that voters rejected a tax increase and when this one-time revenue dries up, the only thing you'll know how to do is go back and raise taxes yet again."
Pritzker said the current budget has brought fiscal responsibility to the state.
“Just a few years ago, some people said what we’ve achieved was impossible,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said to WBEZ Chicago. “But it’s true. Our bill backlog is paid off. Our pension liabilities are reduced. Our rainy day fund is recovering, and we are delivering $1.8 billion of direct tax relief to the people we serve.”
As Pritzker said, the budget has $1.8 billion in tax relief, according to a release from his office. However, Republicans are focused on the governor's tax increases.
“It’s election-year gimmicks,” Republican gubernatorial candidate Jessie Sullivan said to FOX. “What the truth of the matter is, he’s raised over 24 tax and fee hikes on the people of Illinois, worth over $5 billion. Average families are paying over $2,000 more in taxes under J.B. Pritzker.”
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy provided a statement to ABC 20, saying: “Instead of permanent solutions for working families, like real tax cuts and reduced spending, Democrats passed temporary election-year gimmicks, a massive increase in spending and pay raises for politicians. In the face of record inflation and a crushing tax burden, Democrats gave taxpayers a handful of candy and told them to suck it up. They failed to provide real relief to taxpayers and all but guaranteed tax increases when the federal bailout money goes away.”
For more information about the primary Illinois gubernatorial election in June, visit Ballotpedia’s webpage.
Republicans were critical of the FY 2023 budget, which Pritzker signed late last month, according to the FOX report.
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