After the Feb. 19 budget address by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) accused the governor of threatening the state’s job creators with the plan to hold $1.4 billion in reserves.
“The governor mentioned no reforms or cuts, only increases in spending that would be paid for with new money raised through his progressive income tax scheme,” Bailey told SE Illinois News. “The strategy of holding our schools hostage unless the graduated tax proposal passes is bad public policy and just plain wrong."
Bailey said Pritzker’s budget message was basically: “Either pass the graduated income tax or lose $1.4 billion for schools, health care, and public safety programs.”
Bailey notes that while the budget proposed on Feb. 19 projects $40.69 billion in revenue, it also projects $42 billion in spending, and it’s not balanced, because it relies on the governor’s proposed tax changes that have not occurred yet. Pritzker is looking to amend the state’s constitution, switching to a progressive tax system with tiers, instead of a flat rate, and wants to put money in reserves until that happens.
“The governor admits that holding $1.4 billion in spending back in reserves inevitably cuts into spending on key priorities," Bailey said. "These include increased funding for K-12 education, universities and community colleges, public safety, and even income tax refunds for small businesses.”
Pritzker is threatening job creators, said Bailey.
"This year’s budget would hold back $150 million, and only give schools $200 million, unless the graduated income tax passes," he said.
Instead of approving this budget, Bailey suggests that he and other Illinois legislators go through the budget and decide how to spend the funds they actually have.
“I’m ready to work with my colleagues to go line-by-line through the budget and prioritize the money we actually can project and come up with a balanced budget without raising more taxes on Illinoisans," Bailey said.
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