Local Legislators Respond To Gov. JB Pritzker’s Budget Address

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker delivered his state budget address today (Wednesday) in which he talked about plans for his $42 billion proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget, if passed, will give additional funding to schools, healthcare and public safety.

Afterward, state legislators including several from the North and Northwest suburbs offered mixed responses on Gov. Pritzker’s state address and proposed budget.

State Sen. Laura Murphy (D-28th) said, “I’m thrilled to see that Gov. Pritzker has committed to put Illinois on the path to financial recovery by outlining a stable, functional budget for the second year in a row.”

Gov. Pritzker said that as of today (Feb. 19), “we have the lowest unemployment rate in our history. We gave pay raises to working people. And once again we began attracting more students who want to go to college here, because we made college more affordable.”

Murphy said she agrees that investments in economic development and the higher education system should be top priorities. “However, I was disappointed that the proposal did not include concrete solutions to address the skyrocketing cost of property taxes.”

Before Gov. Pritzker took office, the state did not have a budget for two years which caused many programs, grants, municipalities and people to suffer. “It nearly destroyed the lives of the most vulnerable children and families in Illinois, and it left all of us with billions of dollars in unpaid bills,” Gov. Pritzker said. “It forced us to figure out how we would rebuild mental health care and schools and universities and how we would attract job creators and give working families a fighting chance.”

Murphy said that over the next few months, she will work with other lawmakers and the governor to “negotiate a budget that implements the recommendations of the Property Tax Relief Task Force and extends a helping hand to struggling Illinois families.”

Illinois began 2019 with almost $8 billion in unpaid bills and $950 million in late payments; however, the amount has fallen to $7 billion, according to the governor.

State Rep. Mark Walker, (D-53rd) said, “Every budget process presents difficult choices and this year, it’s important we continue to pay down old bills, provide real property tax relief for Illinois homeowners and ensure that critical lifesaving services are invested in. We must invest more in education, job training partnerships and business development tools that will build a stronger Illinois.”

Gov. Pritzker said that he can “conservatively project” that the revenue from the newly passed adult-use recreational cannabis sales will generate approximately $46 million in revenue for the general fund, $10 million of which will go toward paying the state’s bill backlog. The revenue from gaming funds the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan, which helps relieve state and local budgets for “badly needed maintenance and construction work at universities, community colleges and state facilities,” according to the governor.

State Rep. Tom Morrison (R-54th) said, “No doubt, the governor and the legislature have a tough job ahead — creating a budget that’s balanced at the same time the state still grapples with billions of dollars of unpaid bills and mandated spending.”

“From 2015 to 2017, credit rating agencies downgraded our state’s credit eight times, which means Illinois taxpayers were paying higher interest rates,” Gov. Pritzker said. “But this year, rating agencies and analysts have noted a ‘distinct improvement’ in our fiscal stability, and interest rates on our bonds have tumbled to their lowest rate since 2013. That will save tens of millions of dollars for taxpayers.”

Gov. Pritzker said that this year’s proposed budget “saves taxpayers more than $225 million annually” with the hope of saving individual taxpayers more than $750 over the next three years. Last year, the General Assembly passed income tax rates to help working and middle-class families pay a lower tax rate while wealthy people pay a higher rate. However, these rates will only go into effect if the state removes the constitutional prohibition on a graduated tax; an issue that will be voted on by Illinoisans in November. If passed, new rates will go into effect Jan. 1, 2021.

“Instead of giving us a plan that makes the state more attractive to taxpayers, the governor and his team proposed a budget that once again relies on greater taxation and borrowing,” Morrison said. “He’s trying to sell another round of tax increases but neglecting the very reforms that would allow our state and local governments to manage their budgets more efficiently and effectively with current revenues.”

In Gov. Pritzker’s proposed budget, Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) will receive approximately $147 million; a 20% increase in funding from the previous fiscal year.

State Sen. Terry Link (D-30th) said, “The Department of Children and Family Services has long been in need of major changes and I’m glad to see that Gov. Pritzker is committed to making a significant investment in the agency. The proposed $147 million in additional funding is going to make a serious difference in ensuring that all children receive the care they need.”

State Sen. Julie Morrison (D-29th) has also been vocal about fixing the issues with DCFS. She said, “DCFS has experienced more turmoil in the past decade than any other state agency… While not all of the agency’s problems revolve around funding, many of the high-profile failures come from it being cash-strapped and squandering its meager resources.”

The almost $147 million in the proposed funding for DCFS would allow DCFS to hire more workers, which would help reduce the number caseloads each investigator has. 

“There is no question the agency needs more employees and resources to hire highly trained workers who have the determination and emotional stability to take on one of the toughest jobs,” Sen. Morrison said. “I applaud the governor’s commitment to help this already at-risk group of children.”

State Sen. Laura Fine (D-9th) said, “I was heartened to hear Gov. Pritzker reaffirm his commitment to reforming our state’s juvenile justice system in his budget proposal. For too long, the incarceration of children has caused lasting harm to families and communities across the state. The lack of restorative justice alternatives available for these youths is a lost opportunity for progress and rehabilitation that has proven devastating for generations of Illinoisans.”

Gov. Pritzker pardoned more than 11,000 people who were charged with low-level cannabis convictions which he said is “just the beginning of our effort to remove barriers to housing, employment and education for hundreds of thousands of people.”

Fine said, “To begin the healing process, we must begin to reform the way our justice system treats juvenile offenders. A budget that invests in court diversion and restorative justice programs is the first step toward long-term recovery for our families, our neighborhoods and our state.

On top of the pardons, the governor wants to add more funding to public safety and the justice system.

“I support a budget that provides much-needed funding to our Department of Juvenile Justice and starts Illinois on the path toward a criminal justice system that gives our youths the chance to reach their full potential,” Fine said.

The governor’s proposed budget also fully funds Illinois’ pension systems. State Sen. Robert Martwick (D-10) said, “I support a budget that fully funds the state’s pension systems in the upcoming fiscal year,” said Martwick, who has long worked to address the state’s burdensome unfunded pension liability. “Keeping up with our obligations will help ensure that one day, the pension system will no longer be a problem for the state budget and that the people who worked for the state will get the money they earned in retirement.”

The budget proposes $17.2 million for three Illinois State Police cadet classes, which is estimated to account for approximately 255 new troopers for the state of Illinois. “Increasing the capacity of the State Police is a welcome investment in public safety in Illinois,” State Sen. Martwick said.

Other issues in the governor’s address include fixing Illinois’ past financial mismanagement, creating more jobs and revenue, addressing the underfunded pension fund, boosting education and bettering the state’s health care and human services.

State Rep. Walker said, “I’m proud that in the past year we’ve made positive steps to build on what makes Illinois strong. The governor’s address today reminds us that while we’ve made progress, we have more work ahead of us as we once again craft a bipartisan, balanced budget that creates high-quality, good-paying jobs, promotes strong business growth and helps lift up our working families.

The deadline for legislators to approve the state budget is May 31.

More Reaction

State Rep. Brad Stephens (R-20th): “I am skeptical of the budgetary framework laid out by the governor today. Without reforms, he will only ask for further tax increases. We need to build on legislative successes, such as the union backed pension consolidation bill for police and fire that passed last fall with bipartisan support.

“Instead of proposing long-term budgetary reforms, he is requesting additional revenue from yet another income tax increase. The Democrats have already raised taxes – twice – and those tax increases (once in 2011 and once in 2017) failed to put the State on a fiscally sound path. Taxpayers are weary of this song and dance. Democrats will keep coming back asking middle class families in on the Northwest side of Chicago and in the suburbs for more of their hard-earned money.

“The claim is that only the top 3% will pay more, but there are no provisions in place to prevent future rates from being raised. No provisions will prevent the higher tax brackets from impacting the middle class who are already being soaked by high property taxes. No true reforms were presented to prevent the pension payment from ballooning. Nothing in this budget will provide for real property tax relief, improve education for our kids, or protect senior citizens on fixed incomes. What we heard today was more of the same, and this framework will only exacerbate Illinois’ outmigration problems.”

State Rep. Marty Moylan (D-55th): “As we begin a new budget crafting process, it’s important to recognize that there will be many difficult choices as we work to develop an on-time and balanced spending plan.

“It’s critical that we create a budget that pays down old bills, properly funds our pensions and takes additional steps to secure our financial standing moving forward. But we must also balance this with a plan that reflects the values of our state and emphasizes our commitment to essential services such as domestic violence shelters and senior care.

“We have to properly fund our schools and expand educational and job training opportunities, and this starts by providing access to early childhood education and affordable child care. We must also continue to build on education funding reform by providing school districts and teachers the resources they need to help our youngest succeed in the classroom.

“The health of our state depends on passing responsible budgets that reflect our shared values and fiscal realities. I look forward to working with the governor and members on both sides of the aisle to write a budget that works to lift up working families and builds a stronger Illinois.”

State Rep. John D’Amico (D-15th): “Gov. Pritzker’s budget address was entirely square with the reality of the financial and budgetary hurdles we are facing as a state. There is no doubt that Illinois is on less shaky ground today than it was during the manufactured financial crisis of the former administration, but we are continuing to work diligently to restore the state’s financial stability.

“Efforts to get our finances back in order should focus on good faith negotiations and bipartisan cooperation. To make good on the governor’s proposed budget, I’ve begun meeting with my colleagues in the House and Senate to assess shared interests and priorities.

“I am committed to pursuing cost-saving and controlled spending measures to improve our financial standing. The state’s future depends on it, and residents are counting on us to bring financial responsibility back to our state.”

State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17th): “Last year, we took decisive action to put Illinois on a road to fiscal stability. For too long, working families and the most vulnerable in our communities have borne the burden of structural deficits. Draconian cuts to higher education put the cost of Illinois colleges out of reach for many of our students, leading them to look elsewhere for opportunity and thus removing their talent and potential from building our state’s future. Like last year, we are faced with difficult choices in our budget; however, our future success depends on funding programs that deliver services efficiently and provide opportunities for Illinoisans through education and workforce development.

“We must not pretend that we can simply erase our state’s pension obligations through an expensive, protracted legal battle. Beyond the Illinois constitution’s pension clause, the United States Constitution’s contract clause also prevents the state from unilaterally reducing pension benefits. The last thing taxpayers need is another legal bill with no results.

“The best approach to working our way out of this situation is through sound fiscal discipline and a commitment to paying down our pension liability more quickly. I support using the anticipated revenues from cannabis sales and a graduated income tax to directly address Illinois’ pension obligations, which will allow us to solve this problem more quickly.

“Our budget is indeed a moral document — it reflects our values. But a budget that is beyond our means fails everyone. We must make hard choices and spend responsibly. We must find comprehensive solutions to ensure Illinois families can afford to attend our universities and colleges by increasing funding to higher education institutions and expanding access to the Monetary Award Program (MAP). Investing in our students — our children — is an investment in our future. Additionally, we must ensure our roads and bridges are safe and maintained, our seniors living on fixed incomes are supported and our economy is prepared to mitigate the disastrous effects of climate change, while taking into account the tax burden the middle class already carries.

“The chaos of partisan bickering and crisis management has harmed our community for long enough. When I came to Springfield, I pledged to work across the aisle to restore stability to our local economy and secure the future of our families for generations to come. I intend to honor that pledge. I look forward to working with the governor and my colleagues to repair the damage of the past and move our state forward.”

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