Dupage Policy Journal

Illinois state Rep. Amy Grant (R-Wheaton) recently looked on with equal parts frustration and anger as Gov. J.B. Pritizker signed into law the state budget Democrats banded together to send to his desk.

“The governor signed the budget this week,” Grant said. “I voted against the budget because it was wildly out of balance, includes massive borrowing, relies on funds from a federal bailout that has not been approved by Congress, and cedes a tremendous amount of spending authority to Gov. Pritzker."

And Grant fumes that’s only the start of all the flaws.

“This budget also includes the mandatory pay raise for lawmakers,” she added. “It’s an incredibly irresponsible budget that moves Illinois in the wrong direction.”

Overall, the $42.9 billion plan is coming in a year when the lingering COVID-19 pandemic has led to drastically reduced revenues for the state. Still, it tops last year's spending by nearly 8%.

In addition to the billions being counted on from the federal government, the plan also paves the way for lawmakers in Springfield to borrow another $5 billion from the government to hold the plan together.

Grant said the fact that Republicans were shut out from having a voice in the process bothers her to no end and ultimately amounts to a disservice to residents across the state.

“House Republicans pushed for a responsible, balanced budget that included a pay reduction for lawmakers,” she said. “What we got instead was a wildly out-of-balance budget that actually increases spending by $2 billion at a time when state tax revenues have plummeted. Democrats shut Republicans out of final budget discussions and made sure the budget that came to the floor included a nice pay raise for themselves.”