Lawmakers concerned about new spending in Pritzker’s budget proposal

[February 17, 2023]  By Kevin Bessler | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – With the threat of a possible recession on the horizon, some are worried that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed budget is trending toward future tax hikes.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker at a early childhood education facility in Springfield Thursday
Greg Bishop / The Center Square

Pritzker's $49.6 billion spending request is an increase of nearly $3 billion from last year's proposal. It includes a nearly billion dollar boost for education. That includes allotting $250 million toward early childhood education, with increased pay for child care workers and added preschool slots.

“I’ve been very conservative about revenue estimates, and so going into the next we are actually proposing less revenue and lower spending that we have in [fiscal year 23],” Pritzker said Thursday in East St. Louis.

House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, said the numbers don’t add up.

“Here we are at $2.7 billion in new spending and revenues down $1.42 billion and those are his numbers that he provided,” McCombie told The Center Square. “Where are we going to get this additional funding? It certainly is not sustainable for new programs.”

Chris Davis, Illinois director of the National Federation of Independent Business, was pleased with the budget proposal.

“NFIB commends the Governor and General Assembly for balancing the State budget, eliminating short-term debt, building a Rainy Day Fund, and working with the business community to eliminate the more than $4 billion debt in the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund," Davis said in a statement.

State Rep. Dennis Tipsword, R-Metamora, said much of the governor’s budget plan for fiscal year 2024 will be a "non-starter for him."

“In a nutshell, the governor is using temporary and on time revenues to justify putting new, ongoing spending programs in place,” Tipsword said in a statement. "When the temporary revenue sources dry up, taxpayers will again be left footing the bill.”

The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget is forecasting what it calls a mild recession, possibly this fall. It also is projecting a drop-off in revenue for Illinois.

“If they are going to continue these programs year after year, there is only one way to pay for things and that's to raise the dollar amount and you can only do that through taxing,” McCombie said.

The budget will be debated in the coming weeks during the 103rd General Assembly. The spring session of the General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn May 19. The new budget year begins July 1.

Kevin Bessler reports on statewide issues in Illinois for the Center Square. He has over 30 years of experience in radio news reporting throughout the Midwest.