Local state representatives called Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget plan during the State of the State address on Wednesday nothing but a “mirage” of “smoke and mirrors” to draw attention away from Illinois’ fiscal crisis during an election year.
“Governor Pritzker’s budget address is nothing more than a mirage,” said Rep. Amy Elik (R-Fosterburg). “It may seem appealing but once you find out the details, his proposal fails to address the fiscal crisis the state of Illinois is faced with today.
“It was just two years ago when Pritzker went all-in to support the graduated income tax hike and when it failed, he threatened Illinoisans with a large income tax increase or massive loss of services. And now during an election year he is dangling tax cuts in the hopes that voters forget his desperation to increase taxes over the last couple years? Keep in mind, his proposal is only temporary to get through the election, how about he support making these tax cuts permanent?
“But let us not forget Governor Pritzker signed 24 tax and fee increases into law since he first took office. I support less taxes, yet Illinoisans continue to pay more because of the flawed policies implemented by the Pritzker administration”” she continued.
Elik currently represents Illinois’ 111th District and has more than 26 years of financial experience as a certified public accountant (CPA) and auditor for local businesses and governmental bodies. Elik is running for re-election in the 2022 General Election.
Rep. Charlie Meier (R-Okawville) also called Pritzker’s budget plan an election year distraction.
“Governor Pritzker tried painting a rosy picture of Illinois’ fiscal condition, but the fact is, Illinois is in bad financial shape and still has the worst credit score in the country,” Meier said. “His proposed property tax rebate and tax cuts are unfortunately only temporary and nothing more than an election-year gimmick.
“The state is broke. While state revenue is declining, Pritzker’s spending is drastically increasing. Things only appear to look good right now because the state was bailed out with $8 billion from the federal government. The budget proposed today is full of smoke and mirrors, lacking a real plan to dig Illinois out of debt and provide long-term tax relief,” he added.
Pritzker delivered the State of the State address to a mostly empty General Assembly amid a snowstorm on Feb. 2.
He claimed that Illinois will have a $1.7 billion surplus at the end of the fiscal year, but denies that it has anything to do with the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Pritzker said Illinois borrowed $3.2 billion from the federal government at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pritzker acknowledged that Illinois has neglected its Budget Stabilization Fund, also known as the Rainy Day Fund, and proposed setting aside funds for the account.
“Right now the average state can run for 29 days on its Rainy Day Fund,” he said. “In Illinois, we can run for 15 minutes.”
As for tax cuts, Pritzker proposed freezing the gas tax, suspending the state tax on groceries in the coming year and property tax relief funded by the state surplus.
“Right now, everyone is feeling the crunch of rising prices for goods and services,” he said. “The higher cost of even basic necessities is making it harder to make ends meet. Whether it’s supply chain interruptions or increasing oil prices, inflation is squeezing Illinois families.”