West Central Reporter

Springfield, IL – Five days after the General Assembly was scheduled to adjourn its spring session, the Illinois House passed a State Budget for Fiscal Year 2025 early Wednesday morning. The $53.1 billion budget, crafted by Illinois Democrats, is the largest spending plan in state history. This new budget exceeds the $40 billion budget from Governor JB Pritzker’s first year in office (2019) by over $13 billion and is $400 million more than what the Governor proposed in February.

Deputy Republican Leader Norine Hammond (R-Macomb), chief budgeteer for the House Republican Caucus, voted against the record-high State budget and criticized its tax hikes and increased spending.

“In the early morning hours, Illinois Democrats passed the largest budget in state history. In just six years under Governor Pritzker, State spending has increased by more than $13 billion, a 32 percent increase. Illinois working families and seniors cannot afford to pay for all this massive spending, especially at a time when so many are struggling with high inflation, high interest rates, and persistently high unemployment," said Hammond.

“This budget includes over $1 billion in additional revenue, raising taxes on Illinois families and businesses while providing minimal tax relief. Adding insult to injury, the Democrats are giving tax breaks to Hollywood studios and Green New Deal environmentalists while raising taxes on small businesses across the state. The Democrats’ spending plan raids the Road Fund to help pay for Chicago’s mass transit mess. It includes $625 million in new pork projects for Democrat legislators. And worst of all, this budget spends $1 billion on taxpayer-funded benefits for migrants and undocumented immigrants."

Hammond continued her critique: “This record-high budget does not reflect the shared priorities of Illinois families.”

“This budget provides better healthcare benefits for undocumented immigrants than most Illinois families receive. In fact, on Gov. Pritzker’s watch, the State will have spent more than $2 billion in taxpayer funds on healthcare benefits for undocumented immigrant adults. Additionally, the State will have spent $820 million to address Chicago’s migrant crisis."

“In total, over $2.8 billion has been dedicated to services for migrants and undocumented immigrants while services for our most vulnerable citizens remain chronically underfunded and underserved."

“House Republicans support a balanced budget without gimmicks and tax hikes,” Hammond stated emphatically. “We support a budget that prioritizes the needs of Illinois working families and seniors over migrants and undocumented immigrants. We will continue to work to pass a balanced budget that protects Illinois taxpayers properly funds shared priorities and makes real reforms to improve our economy.”