Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Pomona) | reppauljacobs.com
Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Pomona) | reppauljacobs.com
State Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Carbondale) in a recent Facebook post reacted to the budget passed by Democratic lawmakers, questioning its fiscal soundness.
“Democrats have once again failed to address their spending problems, producing yet another state budget filled with unsustainable promises,” Jacobs said in his post.
Jacobs shared a link to a Chicago Sun-Times article that reported the Illinois House had passed the budget without any Republican support. The article reported that early on May 27, the members of the Illinois House of Representatives approved the budget on a 73-38 vote, at 2:30 a.m. The publication detailed funding for early childhood programs, the evidence-based school funding formula, funding to attract business owners and help complete deals, and funding for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to hire nearly 200 employees.
The day before the House vote, Jacobs issued a release and a statement pertaining to the budget.
“Illinoisans are struggling under the weight of Biden inflation and the highest taxes in the nation,” he said in that release. “The priorities expressed by Democrats in this budget favor undocumented immigrants, paying for taxpayer-funded abortions, and growing the size and scope of government. Taxpayers will be on the hook for future tax increases because of this budget.” He also noted that legislators did not have a chance to go through the budget line-by-line because of how quickly it was shared with legislators and passed through the legislative chambers.”
While Democrats hold the majority in the Senate, there was Republican input into the budget negotiation process, which Republican legislators appreciated, WAND TV said in a report.
In addition to funding for Smart Start Illinois and the evidence-based funding model for schools, there was also a $100 million increase in MAP grant funding.
Jacobs was elected to represent the 115th House District in 2020. He now represents the 118th House District. He is an optometrist, former owner of the Von Jakob Winery and a Navy veteran.
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