Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Moline). | Photo Courtesy of Neil Anderson
Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Moline). | Photo Courtesy of Neil Anderson
Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Aledo) took to Facebook on Feb. 15 to express is his concerns after Gov. J.B. Pritzker's State of the State address.
"With the budget proposed by the Governor today, mark my words he's setting Illinoisans up for a massive tax hike in the future," Anderson wrote in the post.
Anderson went further in a statement on his Senate website. “There is no doubt our state has a spending problem and today’s budget address reflects that as we head down a dangerous path," he wrote. "Republicans have been warning the Governor and the Majority Party that the federal COVID money would dry up, well, here we are. We are on the brink of a recession, yet the Governor introduced a plan that increases permanent spending by $3 billion. Mark my words, the Governor is setting Illinoisans up for a massive tax increase in the near future. We will not be able to keep up with this outrageous spending spree. Families in Illinois are already one of the highest taxed individuals in the nation, we can’t withstand any more tax increases.
“While I do appreciate the prioritization of funding for Illinois State Police included in the governor’s proposal, we must also not forget to fund downstate fire, police, EMS, and dispatchers that are so vital to our communities,” Anderson added in the statement.
In his speech, Pritzker touted fiscal progress.
"What was once an Illinois with $17 billion in overdue bills is now an Illinois that pays its bills on time," he said. "What was once an Illinois that went years without a budget is now an Illinois that has passed four balanced budgets in a row. What was once a state with no cushion to protect it in an economic downturn is now an Illinois on track to have a $2.3 billion Rainy Day Fund. What was once an Illinois with a credit rating on the verge of junk status is now an Illinois getting credit upgrades. Our fiscal progress is remarkable."
Pritzker then listed billions of dollars in debt that had been paid off.
Anderson has served the 47th District since 2015. He is a firefighter/paramedic in the Moline Fire Department and lives in Andalusia with his wife and two children, his biography says.
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