Sen. Brian Stewart (R-Freeport) | Photo Courtesy of Brian Stewart
Sen. Brian Stewart (R-Freeport) | Photo Courtesy of Brian Stewart
As Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently delivered his new budget proposal from the Old State Capitol, state Sen. Brian Stewart (R-Freeport) couldn’t help but focus on what he saw as the irony of the moment.
“How appropriate that this Governor presented his assessment of Illinois and his plan for the upcoming budget on Groundhog Day,” Stewart said in a post to Facebook. “His speech was full of hope for sunshine but did not acknowledge the shadows of more fiscal winter looming.”
Pritzker’s $45 billion spending plan calls for up to $300 in property tax rebates, suspending the grocery sales tax for a year and sets asides $500 million for the state’s long-troubled pension system while adding spending for education and health care.
As inflation rates continue to soar, Stewart argues the plan falls far short of providing the kind of help many residents need to stay afloat.
“What Illinoisans need are long-term solutions, not election-year gimmicks,” Stewart said in a post to his website. “We need to hear more about sustainable revenues from a strong Illinois economy, not just using one-time revenues from the federal government. Senate Republicans have offered well-thought-out plans for fiscal stability, much-needed and long-overdue ethics reform and a plan targeting violent crime and offering a critical lifeline to law enforcement efforts.”
Stewart said the governor doesn't consider the input of Republicans.
“Any system of government should be open to bipartisan review and cooperation, but Gov. Pritzker has gone it alone from day one,” he said. “So, it is not surprising we did not hear a more thorough assessment of the problems that still plague our state.”
Fiscal Year 2023 runs from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023
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