At a press conference May 12, Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) expressed his dissatisfaction with the budget and its projects for Democratic-leaning districts.
"This is what happens when a budget gets put together at the last minute and passed in the middle of the night. Democrats needed to include this kind of pork in order to buy off the votes they need to ram through another partisan and gimmick-filled budget," Demmer said. "I think Illinoisans should rightfully ask 'do we want the Illinois government to be set up for an inevitable tax increase in the future at a time of record inflation across the country? Is it wise to spend taxpayer dollars on pork projects used to buy off votes from members?' I think most Illinoisans would say no."
Republican lawmakers have been critical of the budget from its passage.
"Today, Democrats passed a budget focused more on the upcoming election than the needs and responsibilities of the state," Assistant Republican Leader C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) posted on his website April 9. "They wrote a bill to delay their gas tax increase, conveniently until after the election. They included delayed tax increases on businesses and cuts in unemployment benefits, conveniently until after the election. These taxes will be increased; the Democrats just wanted to ensure that it didn't happen before the election. This budget includes $1.6 billion in pork projects in Democrat-only legislative districts. These include all sorts of things like a 'pilot program' for a guaranteed minimum income for women in East St. Louis. This and all of the other projects amount to election-year bribes for their re-election, paid for by all Illinois taxpayers."
According to Fox Illinois, Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy also spoke out against the budget, saying, "Instead of permanent solutions for working families like real tax cuts and reduced spending, Democrats passed temporary election-year gimmicks, a massive increase in spending, and pay raises for politicians. In the face of record inflation and a crushing tax burden, Democrats gave taxpayers a handful of candy and told them to suck it up. They failed to provide real relief to taxpayers and all but guaranteed tax increases when the federal bailout money goes away."
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