David Friess, center, with his family. | Contributed photo
David Friess, center, with his family. | Contributed photo
Republican state House candidate David Friess the recent four-day special session in Springfield is everything people need to know about the way Gov. J.B. Pritzker operates to the detriment of Illinois.
“Gov. Pritzker's refusal to reduce spending is a great illustration of how financially irresponsible he is,” Friess told the SE Illinois News. “He knows revenue is going to be down as a result of the lockdown orders he instituted, yet he refuses to cut spending. Instead, he is going to look to the federal government and taxpayers for a bailout.”
Indeed, the $42 billion spending plan Democrats banded to send to the desk of the governor relies on funding from the government to fill budget holes made even deeper by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the Chicago Tribune reported. Also, the plan clears the way for lawmakers to seek an additional $5 billion loan from the government.
Friess, running against incumbent state Rep. Nathan Reitz (D-Steeleville) in the 116th District, fails to see the logic of the state borrowing more at a time when it is already heavily in debt.
“Due to the fact that Illinois is such a mess financially, Illinois' credit rating has been downgraded, which translates into higher interest rates for any money the state borrows,” Friess, a Red Bud resident, said. “We simply cannot afford to continually borrow money to pay our bills. We must balance the budget and live within our means.”
Friess adds Pritzker’s one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with the pandemic has only made matters worse for the state.
“The governor comes off as a dictator due to his refusal to seek input from the state Legislature,” he said. “Members of the state Legislature know their respective districts and the governor should have consulted with them from Day One of this pandemic.”
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