Illinois State House District 104 issued the following announcement on Feb. 19.
State Representative Mike Marron (R-Fithian) today released the following statement on Governor Pritzker’s Budget address:
“I always appreciate prioritizing education funding as we invest in educating our children and keeping them safe. However, I was not pleased to learn the Governor’s proposed budget has $2.2 billion in increased spending compared to this fiscal year. His proposal represents a dramatic increase in new spending when I believe our current budget is providing adequate funding for services across the state.
I was hopeful after seeing a last minute bi-partisan working group come together last year to pass a balanced budget with no new taxes for FY20. It is clear to me however, that the Governor’s plan relies heavily on the passage of the progressive income tax that he fought to put on the ballot last year. In other words, the governor’s plan is to rely on raising income taxes to pay for more spending.
Last fall, the Governor had his agencies prepare for 6.5 percent reductions – and this budget proposal does not represent any of those scenarios. The proposal laid before us shows very little in the way of discernable spending reductions. Instead, the Governor put forth a budget wish list that relies on revenues from a tax increase that has not happened and maybe never will.
If the graduated tax amendment doesn’t pass this November, the Governor has proposed withholding payment on a myriad of state services, such as group health insurance, K-12 and Higher Ed funding, Income Tax Refunds, and transfers to local governments – essentially holding our service providers, local governments, educational institutions and taxpayers hostage to his own political agenda.
I was hopeful that we were finally able to put aside some partisan games and prove to the people of this state that we actually do care about fixing this fiscal mess, but it seems the Governor is proposing the same old failed tax and spend policies year after year. Fiscal irresponsibility has taken a toll on the State’s credit rating and on our ability to honor our obligations. More government spending funded by ever-increasing taxes is the wrong way to move forward.”
Original source can be found here.
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