Rockford Sun

Illinois state Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) commented that the missed May 19 budget deadline indicates larger issues for state spending.

Keicher noted that the budget has ballooned since he first came into the General Assembly.

“As we look at when I came in five springs ago, we were dealing with an approximately $40 billion budget,” he said in a recent press conference. “And today we're looking at a $50 billion budget. Our budget has increased 25% in five years.”

Keicher suggested prioritizing the carrying out of existing commitments "instead of looking for more ways to spend money on new programs."

“We have folks calling each of our district offices with priorities and current programs that have been in place for a long time, such as adults with disabilities, such as long-term care facilities, such as reducing the PUNS list," he said. "And we continue to create new cost-consequential areas to spend resources. We have the money, right? We're suggesting staying within the bounds of what we got last year. We've got 25% more than we did five short years ago. Why do we need to continue to expand when we aren't taking care of the commitments that we have already put into place?”

Keicher also noted that he and many Democrats have not even seen a draft budget. He said he has been denied in repeated requests for a draft copy of the budget, which will reportedly top 1,000 pages.

“Funny story,” Keicher said in a Capitol News Illinois report. “After I made my inquiry last night, I had eight members of the other side of the aisle suggest to me that they hadn't seen one either.”

Keicher’s sentiment was backed up by state Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea) after he was asked by Keicher when a draft could be expected.

“You’re asking me?” Hoffman responded.

The budget was scheduled to be passed by midnight of May 19, and the General Assembly has until May 31 to pass a budget prior to the fiscal year ending on June 30, an Advantage News report said. Democrats notified legislators that the session was being extended for budget negotiations. Legislators will next be in session May 24-26 when a final budget is expected.

One point of contention is massive spending related to the free health care for noncitizen immigrants program that alone accounts for nearly $1 billion of the projected $50 billion budget, a Peoria Standard report said. The program is for those 42 years of age and older. Democrats sought to lower that threshold to individuals 19 and older but have not been able to move the legislation.