On Thursday night, the Senate approved a Fiscal Year 2024 budget that spends over $50 billion. After the 34 to 22 vote, State Senator Craig Wilcox, who voted against the budget, issued the following statement:
“This budget is out of touch with the issues that are most important to everyday Illinoisans. We’re spending hundreds of millions on programs for non-citizens, while still coming up short in taking care of vulnerable Illinois citizens. Rather than spending over $100 million on welcome centers for undocumented immigrants and over a half billion for free health care for those in this country illegally, I would have liked that money channeled toward ensuring those who care for the developmentally disabled were earning a respectable wage and toward job incentives to create jobs and grow the state’s economy.
“The Democrats’ misplaced priorities were on full display these last few days as they bickered back and forth over the allocation of budget funds. Lost in the entire conversation were the ordinary Illinois families who pay the taxes that fund this budget. These folks are just trying to make a decent living, place their kids in good schools, and raise their families in safe neighborhoods.
“At the end of the day, this budget fails the people of Illinois. We had a real opportunity to produce a budget that addressed important issues, like crime, inflation, care for vulnerable citizens, and scholarships that lift up kids in failing schools. Instead, as always, the majority party pushed their own priorities and their own pet projects at the expense of Illinois families.”