Dupage Policy Journal

After recently hearing Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker tick off all the things his administration is most proud of accomplishing in 2019, state Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove) offered a different perspective.

“There is no denying that the governor had most of his agenda items approved last spring," Oberweis told the DuPage Policy Journal. "But getting things done really counts for little if what you are doing is, in the end, harmful to the state. He raised taxes and he spent more money. The current budget policies are robbing our children and grandchildren of their futures if they want to live in Illinois as I have for my whole life.”

Oberweis says that’s part of the reason he is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 14th District against incumbent U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Naperville).

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker

“I do not want the rest of the country to follow the bad policies so dominant in Illinois,” Oberweis said. “Our state is a textbook example of what not to do.”

One by one, Pritzker recently fired off his list of accomplishments, highlighting such acts as the passage of his $40 billion spending plan, increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour and the legalization of sports betting and recreational marijuana.

Oberweis sees it as just more hot air coming from the governor's office.

“The governor did nothing to help resolve the biggest issue facing our state, which is Illinois’ $137.3 billion unfunded pension liability,” Oberweis said. “Where was the leadership on pension reform? He was too busy spending even more money we don’t have.”

The spring legislative session will be remembered more for what was not accomplished than what was, Oberweis argues.  

“The governor is patting himself on the back for raising everyone’s taxes and getting the legislature to approve a Constitutional Amendment that is going to raise our taxes even more if voters approve the progressive income tax next November,” Oberweis said. “His budget spending plan is a record-setting $40 billion budget that is $3 billion under-funded. You don’t get hero status for essentially running up more debt and offering nothing in terms of the tough decisions we should be making to get the budget under control.”

Oberweis laments more than anything the fact that he does not see anything changing anytime soon.

“I expect more of the same,” Oberweis said. “More spending, more taxing, more borrowing, more bureaucracy, more regulations and more government mandates. We should be focused on fixing our pensions, ending the culture of corruption in Springfield, reducing regulations and lowering taxes.”