WATCH: Lawmakers call out Pritzker for lack of transparency with budget cuts

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers say they are not getting information from Gov. J.B. Pritzker or state agencies about the governor’s proposed spending cuts.

In September, Pritzker ordered state agencies to conduct immediate budget reviews to identify efficiencies and reductions.

The reason the governor cited was to mitigate what he called President Donald Trump’s “disastrous economic policies.”

Illinois House Assistant Minority Leader Amy Elik, R-Alton, said Thursday that Pritzker is pointing the finger at the Trump administration instead of solving Illinois’ problems.

“Gov. Pritzker could have used his Office of Management and Budget to identify areas where spending could be reined in, such as pay raises for legislators, partisan pork projects and billions on illegal aliens, but instead, the governor has chosen to blame his mismanagement on anyone but himself,” Elik said.

Elik said the governor’s office informed Republicans that the budget reductions were “all internal deliberations.”

State Rep. Regan Deering, R-Decatur, said Illinois is ranked at the top of nearly every published tax list.

“In March, a WalletHub study reported that Illinoisans pay the highest combined taxes of any other state in the nation, coming to more than 16.5% of our incomes spent on taxes annually,” Deering said.

The report came before lawmakers passed a new budget with additional tax hikes.

The state record $55.2 billion spending plan for fiscal year 2026 includes higher taxes on telecommunications, tobacco products, sports wagering and long-term rentals, along with corporate income tax rule changes, which are expected to bring in more tax revenue from businesses. The budget legislation signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker on June 16 also lowered tax rebates on electric vehicle purchases.

Before the budget took effect, Illinois already had the highest local wireless tax in the country at 7%. The rate went up to 8.65% on July 1.

Also on July 1, Illinois’ gas tax increased to 48.3 cents per gallon.

The Republican lawmakers said taxpayers should not be fooled by Illinois getting credit rating upgrades.

A reporter asked Tuesday why there are concerns over the budget when bond agencies have raised the state’s rating 10 times since Pritzker became governor.

“I think when we talk about a credit rating upgrade we need to be realistic if we’re coming from an F to a D-. It’s the same thing I tell my students or my children in the past. While it is an increase, it’s not enough of an increase,” Deering said.

Elik said the government is spending at record levels.

“That’s the part that’s maybe not something that’s as important to the bond rating agencies, but that’s absolutely really important to the taxpayers and the businesses of Illinois,” Elik said.

Deering said she filed House Bill 3792 earlier this year so the state could pass “actually balanced budgets.”

The measure provides that, beginning with budgets prepared for fiscal year 2027, revenue estimates must be based solely on receipts from taxes, fees, and federal transfers and shall not include debt incurred, existing debt refinanced, or additional funds appropriated, assigned, or transferred from another fund. In addition, appropriations for a fiscal year would not be allowed to exceed revenue estimated by the General Assembly to be available during that year.

Deering filed the bill Feb. 7 and it was assigned the Illinois House Rules Committee Feb. 18.