State Senator Win Stoller (R-Germantown Hills) released the following statement in response to the Governor’s Budget Address:
“The Governor’s address today felt like him spiking the football and declaring mission accomplished. While the picture he painted seems great, it doesn’t really match up to reality. Illinois still has the highest pension debt and worst credit rating in the entire nation. Inflation is raging out of control, almost as much as our violent crime. All of these factors have led to 113,000 residents deciding to flee Illinois for better opportunities.
“Our state and this Governor have greatly benefited by the huge windfall of additional revenue from our federal government. Instead of taking advantage of this gift to get our financial house in order and implement structural change, we have allowed the underlying behavior that ruined our state’s finances to continue. In fact, this budget increases spending. It creates new and permanent spending of $2.5 billion, potentially leaving us in a precarious financial position once our temporary federal revenue is exhausted.
“The people of our state need long-lasting tax relief, not more spending. While the Governor’s proposal includes some tax relief for hard-working families, they conveniently disappear after one year. Unlike the Governor’s election-year gimmick relief, our Caucus has presented permanent tax relief to help alleviate growing inflation and property taxes harming everyday Illinoisans.”