On Wednesday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker delivered his annual combined Budget Address and State of the State Address, proposing a billion dollars in tax increases to fund the growing price tag of the migrant crisis that he invited.
As grocery prices hit a 30-year high, the Governor’s tax increases would hit families yet again by cutting the standard deduction. His plan would also go after small and large jobs creators, leaving Illinoisans earning less, paying more for goods and services, or both.
Since taking office, Pritzker has increased spending on noncitizen programs from just a few million dollars per year to roughly a billion dollars, by offering services from free housing to free healthcare.
Senator Plummer argued that increasing taxes by a billion dollars to pay for a billion dollars in spending on noncitizens is a clear display of the Governor’s misplaced priorities.
Overall, the Governor’s budget would set a new record as the largest in state history. Pritzker called for an additional $2 billion in spending with a total price tag of nearly $53 billion. If he is able to pass his plan, he will have grown state spending by 30% in just six years in office.
Members of the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus have long advocated for eliminating the state’s sales tax on groceries. While Pritzker claimed to support the idea in the speech, he failed to include details in his budget document, so it’s hard to tell how serious he actually is about the concept.
“While Illinois families try to act responsibly with their finances, Governor Pritzker set another new record in state spending in his most recent irresponsible and unbalanced budget. To highlight his reckless spending, consider this – Governor Pritzker is giving away far more than $1 billion on the illegal immigrants he invited to Illinois, while proposing a massive $1 billion tax increase on Illinois working families and underfunding programs for vulnerable children and the developmentally disabled,” said Plummer.
He added, “The people of Illinois are too smart to fall for the Governor’s budget gimmicks and promises of savings, they know exactly what he’s doing. His spending is out of control, and he is desperately plugging the gap by once again raising taxes on our families so he can fund his political cronies. Families will be making less, paying more, or both, because of Pritzker’s failed policies and irresponsible budget.” Senator Plummer is asking for your help to tell Pritzker “NO” to these new tax hikes. If you agree, please sign his petition here: https://senatorjasonplummer.com/say-no-to-pritzkers-tax-hikes-petition/