Will County state legislators react to Pritzker’s budget proposal

State legislators from the Will County area gave their reaction to Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget address on Wednesday.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact, the governor outlined his $41.6 billion budget which he said would keep spending, and income taxes, flat. The budget would rely heavily on increased federal funds and changes to the state’s corporate tax structure which the General Assembly has to approve.

Even though Democratic lawmakers voiced support for Pritzker’s goals, they also acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining the services and resources to help residents while dealing with revenue needs.

State Sen. John Connor, D-Lockport, said he believed the governor’s budget proposal was “fair-minded, while recognizing Illinois’ fiscal reality.”

“Although rebuilding our state’s budget and economy will take discussion, effort and time, the proposed budget provides insightful ideas to spark negotiation,” Connor said in a statement. “I agree with the proposal’s commitment to support human services for residents struggling through the pandemic while making full payments of the state’s pension obligation.”

State Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood, also praised Pritzker’s proposal to not cut funding to public school districts in compliance with the school funding formula law passed in 2017. Loughran Cappel serves as the vice-chair of the Senate Education Committee.

“This year has been tough on a lot of families, especially those with school-aged children,” Loughran Cappel said in a statement. “I am glad to see that the governor plans to maintain funding for higher education and increase funding for need-based tuition assistance programs.”

Predictably, Republicans blasted Pritzker for his comments going after conservative policies.

State Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield said in a statement the governor “spoke as if Republicans have been in charge for the last two decades.” He argued the proposal relies on nearly $1 billion in taxes on “job creators across Illinois.”

“I’m growing tired of this cycle with our State budget,” Batinick said in the statement. “We cannot continue to increase taxes on small businesses with no reforms on the way we do government in Illinois; it just has to stop.

State Sen. Sue Rezin argued Pritzker’s budget was “$1.7 billion out-of-balance” and is based on ”nonexistent revenue.”

One of the proposed cuts Republicans decried was a reduction of the scholarship tax credit program supported by many in the Diocese of Joliet school system.