Chambana Sun

State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) says the way Democrats crafted a state budget in Springfield has surpassed the point of mere lunacy.

“Just when you think that things can’t get any worse, the Democrats put their heads together again for something like this,” Caulkins told the Chambana Sun. “This year, they’ve knowingly put together a budget that is almost $7 billion out of balance. I mean, it’s almost reached the point of being psychotic.”

The new $42 billion state budget approved by Democrat majorities in both chambers of the State Assembly in the 11th hour of an emergency pandemic session deeply counts on federal funding to stitch together holes made even more massive by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.  As part of the plan, lawmakers also signed off on a measure that paves the way for the state to borrow up to an additional $5 billion from the federal government, which Democrats hope will ultimately be repaid by more funds coming from Washington.

Caulkins insists he’s seen such trickery more times than he cares to remember.

“This is a typical accounting trick used for more than 20 years by the Democrats where they overestimate income and underestimate spending, then walk around claiming they’ve passed a balanced budget,” he said. “This year is no different, just maybe more dangerous given everything else that’s going on.”

Caulkins said the ultimate slap in the face comes in the form of lawmakers approving a $1,800 raise for themselves as part of the package.

“All of this is made even more dangerous when you factor in Illinois is going to be the last state to get back to regular business in the aftermath of this virus,” he said. “That already puts us at a great economic disadvantage and we make matters worse by passing what I think is the worse budget in the history of the state.”

Caulkins frets it only adds to Springfield’s faltering reputation as a place for serious government.

“If you did these kinds of things with the budget at a corporation not only would you be shown the door you’d be the laughingstock of the industry,” he said.”I really don’t know what economics classes they took. I guess when you have a supermajority and you’ve had one-party rule for many years these are the kinds of things you feel you can get away with.”