Republicans took shots at Gov. J.B. Pritzker as he signed the budget for Fiscal Year 2023. Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) thinks that we are probably spending faster than we are earning revenues.
"Voters of both political parties — Republicans and independents and Democrats — voters rejected that tax increase. Voters said no more. Voters said don't just get more revenue, focus on the expense side of the state budget," Demmer said April 9 from the House floor. "After voters said no, you continue to spend as if they said yes. The budget you passed the year that question was on the ballot originally relied on $5 billion in borrowing to make it work. You were bailed out by billions in direct federal aid from the CARES Act and the American Recovery Act. You were bailed out by billions in additional funding from the federal government Medicaid matching funds. You were bailed out by ... 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."
Candidates for governor also had their say.
"It's election year gimmicks," gubernatorial candidate Jesse Sullivan said, according to Fox 32 Chicago. "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 JB 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."
Pritzker was a little more optimistic.
"Just a few years ago, some people said what we've achieved was impossible. 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," Pritzker said, according to WBEZ Chicago.
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