Illinois Valley Times

After Gov. J.B. Pritzker laid out his spending plan last month during his State of the State address, critics were quick to jump on the budget proposal.

Travis Breeden, who is seeking the 76th District seat in the Illinois House, called the plan “the definition of insanity.”

“Gov. Pritzker seems to think the way to tackle the serious problems facing our state is to keep doing the same things we have always done which predictably will yield the same results,” Breeden said in a statement.

Breeden lives in Utica and is a driver with UPS. On his campaign website he promises to bring “conservative values” to Springfield while working to drive business growth, attract businesses and cut spending. He also supports the Second Amendment. Breeden, who in 2020 narrowly lost the race to defeat Rep. Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa) for the seat, said in his statement that Pritzker’s proposed temporary breaks on food, gas and property taxes ultimately will do little to improve the lives of residents of the state. 

“These measures are nothing more than election year ploys to distract voters from the 20 tax and fee increases the governor has raised since taking office,” Breeden said. “What we need is structural spending reforms so that we can lower taxes for everyone on a permanent basis.”

Breeden said that Pritzker offered few details about the growing pension crisis in the state, the loss of population or spending reforms that could lead to permanent tax cuts, rather than the temporary relief the governor has touted. 

“But Governor Pritzker is not thinking about the future of our state,” Breeden said. “He is thinking only about his re-election prospects. He wants citizens to focus on his one-time tax breaks that are only the result of the influx of federal COVID-19 money and not on the structural problems that are the root cause of so many people leaving our state.”

Breeden also said that Pritzker’s directive forcing healthcare workers to get vaccinated or lose their jobs is driving staff shortages across the state. 

Breeden said that Pritzker’s policies are tying the hands of the state and limiting its ability to attract new business.