Total taxpayer spending for Illinois’ budget jumps 95% since 2018
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[August 02, 2023]
By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – A new report from the Illinois Commission on
Government Forecasting Accountability shows a dramatic increase of
overall taxpayer spending over the past six years.
COGFA’s report on fiscal year 2024 released Monday reviews the annual
budget that began July 1. The report details the budget process and how
much each state agency and program is set to receive in annual
appropriations.
While a lot of reporting focuses on the state spending of $50.4 billion
in Illinois General Revenue Funds, overall taxpayer spending is much
higher at more than $193.5 billion when taking into account federal and
special funds. That’s up from the $99 billion in total spending for
fiscal year 2018, or a 95.3% increase.
Truth in Accouting’s Sheila Weinberg said there was a 7% increase from
2018 to 2019.
“Then COVID happened and then the floodgates just opened. The federal
government threw money at everything. The states threw money at
everything,” Weinberg told WMAY. “So between 2019 and 2020, the annual
appropriations increased by a whopping 35%.”
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The Illinois State Capitol under
construction
Greg Bishop / The Center Square
From 2020 to 2021, spending increased 19%. The following year, spending
went up 8% and from 2023 to 2024, spending increased around 3%.
Weinberg said with the COVID-emergency over, one would think the
elevated spending would decrease, but that does not appear to be the
case.
The reported annual budget of $50.4 billion in state funds isn’t
transparent, she said.
“So this, quote, budget that they’re talking about that they, quote,
balanced is only 26% of the overall appropriations,” Weinberg said.
Most of the state spending is from little-known special funds.
“What are special funds? How are they defined? It’s whatever the
legislature decides are special funds,” Weinberg said. “We did a study a
few years ago with the Union League Club and found there’s more than 600
special funds.”
Weinberg said it’s important taxpayers know about all of the state’s
appropriations so they can hold policymakers accountable for increased. |