In the wee small hours of the morning, Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly voted to implement a $53.1 billion spending plan, passing the overreaching state budget without Republican support. The Fiscal Year 2025 budget is a whopping $2.6 billion more than last year’s enacted budget and includes pay raises for politicians and a staggering $1 billion for non-citizens. Moreover, Democrats voted for $1 billion in tax hikes to pay for their record-breaking spending.
Over the last four years, the Democrat-controlled General Assembly has joined Governor Pritzker in a voracious appetite for increased government spending. Since the Fiscal Year 2020 budget, Democratic lawmakers have voted to grow state expenditures by more than $13 billion, from nearly $40 billion in 2020 to more than $53 billion this year and have forced hard-working Illinoisans to foot the bill.
Here is what House Republican lawmakers are saying about the FY2025 budget:
Deputy Republican Leader & Chief Budgeteer Norine Hammond (R-Macomb)
“In the early morning hours, Illinois Democrats passed the largest budget in state history. In just six years under Governor Pritzker, State spending has increased by more than $13 billion, a 32 percent increase. Illinois working families and seniors cannot afford to pay for all this massive spending, especially at a time when so many are struggling with high inflation, high interest rates, and persistently high unemployment.”
Assistant Republican Leader & Budgeteer Amy Elik (R-Alton)
“Hard-working Illinoisans are struggling to afford basic needs amidst high inflation and higher cost of living increases. While Democrats prioritized raising taxes, spending on new programs, and subsidizing failed open-border immigration policies, our state’s most vulnerable citizens have been shortchanged. I’m greatly concerned that the excessive spending this year and in the future can only be paid for by more and more tax hikes in the future.”
Rep. Mike Coffey (R-Springfield)
“This is the largest partisan budget in state history that fails to address the dire needs of Illinois residents and businesses. This is a sobering moment for our state as we continue to spend millions on non-citizens at the expense of taxpayers while families are struggling to make ends meet. Illinois could be a prosperous state, but our government is prioritizing the needs of non-citizens rather than the needs of hard-working taxpayers.”
Rep. Jed Davis (R-Yorkville)
“This outcome is the sad reality of an out-of-balance state legislature, operating on the will of one party. We must bring balance back to the Illinois government, which inevitably brings balance back to our state’s budget.”
Assistant Republican Leader Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee)
“I am deeply frustrated by the lack of bipartisan cooperation on this budget yet again. Republican lawmakers were once again shut out from budget discussions despite our ongoing offers to be a part of the process, in addition to our caucus representing all or part of all 102 counties in the state. Our state budget is for everyone, and all constituents deserve representation when it’s being crafted, regardless of their zip code.”
Assistant Republican Leader Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore)
“Since before the Governor’s budget proposal in 2023, my Republican colleagues and I have been warning that our state would face a deficit as federal COVID relief funds ran out and all the new spending initiatives created by progressive Democrats and the Governor ran out of funding sources. Well, this budget lays bare that problem as Democrats are ramming more than a billion dollars in tax increases and cost shifts down taxpayers’ throats that will only stand to drive more Illinois families and job creators out of our state.”
Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva)
“One of the biggest problems we have in Illinois is over-taxation of businesses and residents, and this budget once again calls for huge tax increases. As we continue to enact policies that are not pro-growth, job creators are not going to be drawn to our state. This budget, crafted by Democrats with no Republican involvement, does not address the needs of our residents and instead doubles down on bad policies and misplaced priorities.”
Assistant Republican Leader Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis)
”I am concerned with the way that the Democrats’ spending plan prioritizes appropriations for non-citizens to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars and at the same time increases taxes on individuals, working families, and businesses. While I understand the state of Illinois faces budgetary pressures, I would have preferred a budget that prioritized tax cuts and spending cuts during this incredibly difficult financial time for taxpayers.”
Rep. Coffey’s Commitment to the 95th District
When I took office a year ago, my priority was to help lead Illinois families to a brighter future and my commitment is to do just that. I realize we have many uphill battles and issues facing our state. Working families are struggling to pay their bills, put food on the table, and pay their electric bills.
Read more here:
repcoffey.com/2024/03/01/rep-coffeys-commitment-to-the-95th-district