Chambana Sun

State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) used a Facebook video conference hosted by Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) to speak out against Gov. J.B. Pritzker for not working with Republicans when making the budget plan.

Caulkins said that the lawmakers were handed the 1,600-page budget plan, but weren’t given enough time to read and study the whole thing. He said the lawmakers were told by Pritzker that they need to vote on it soon.

Caulkins also said that Pritzker shouldn’t expect Congress to bail out Illinois.

Caulkins said Congress should refuse to bail out Illinois unless the state comes up with sound reforms. He likened the situation to giving money to a person not willing to reform. “Why would you have a friend who’s an alcoholic coming to you for money time and time again? I mean, at some point you have to cut him off to help them see [that] they need help. Maybe this COVID thing has amplified our problems, brought them to a national prominence and that our congressional delegates, Republican all of them, will insist that if we’re going to get a bailout ... there has to be true reform.”

The next issue Caulkins brought up was the budget's lack of funding for education. He said, “This is the second year in a row where we haven’t funded the K-12.”

Caulkins also criticized Pritzker for his “draconian” state lockdown and bungling the vaccine distribution, which ended with many senior citizens not being prioritized.