On Wednesday, Governor JB Pritzker gave his annual Budget Address before a joint session of the Senate and House. Following the speech, State Senator Craig Wilcox (R-McHenry) issued the following statement:
“Today we heard a lot of vague promises but not a lot of substance when it comes to filling the billion-dollar budget hole Governor Pritzker and his Democrat allies created. Rather than reducing spending, it appears the Pritzker spending spree will continue. The Governor proposed yet another record-high budget, this time proposing an additional $2 billion in state spending. At this pace, Illinoisans are on the hook for a $15 billion increase in spending under JB Pritzker. That’s a 37% hike in state spending during Pritzker’s tenure in office. It’s simply unaffordable and an insult to struggling taxpayers.
“Illinois residents are drowning under costs tied to Pritzker tax hikes and inflation, and I was hoping to finally see a budget proposal that reined in spending. What we saw, unfortunately, was a man who continues to place his own political ambitions ahead of practical solutions that improve lives for Illinoisans.”