Dupage Policy Journal

Ahead of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget address, House Republican Leader Jim Durkin demanded a balanced budget.

Referencing to Article VIII of the Illinois Constitution, Sect. 2, Durkin said that the governor should present “a budget that must balance spending with estimated revenue available for that fiscal year and the legislature appropriates tax-payer funded revenue which cannot exceed funds estimated to be available.”

Durkin stressed it should be an “estimated revenue, not wishful thinking” because nobody nor any country has been spared from the pandemic. But he said, “no one except the governor and the Democrats because it is not their money.”

“They don’t have to follow nor do they believe they are bound by the constitution when it comes to spending someone else’s money and that someone happens to be the taxpayers of Illinois,” Durkin said.

The governor, Durkin said, continues to hold House Republicans accountable for the state’s fiscal problems.

But despite the Republicans warning it was the administration who continued with its FY21 spending of $42 billion, $2 billion over than the prior year. The “governor and his enablers” continued to budget at $42 billion despite an expected decline of revenue between $37 billion to $38 billion last May.

“Stop the blame governor, because millions of Illinoisans are depending upon you to help them get back on their feet after one of the worst years of their lifetime,” Durkin said. “And governor there are no bogeys when it comes to a state budget.”

“The Republican House caucus will continue to fight for taxpayers, demand a balanced budget and hold the Democrat majority and Governor Pritzker accountable with the taxpayer money of Illinois,” Durkin added.