CHICAGO (WMBD) — Lawmakers are begining to react after Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Fiscal Year 2024 budget at the Christopher House Stewart Campus in Chicago Wednesday.
State Senator Tom Bennett (R-Gibson City) released the following statement after Governor JB Pritzker signed the FY24 state budget:
“The final budget did not match the priorities that would best serve the people of Illinois.
“There are some good things in there, but we have forgotten about some significant people in Illinois. We need proper funding for services for the state’s developmentally disabled community, rebates for downstate families facing high utility costs, continuing a scholarship program which helps children in failing school districts to attend better performing schools, encouraging business and job growth by eliminating the much-criticized franchise tax, and helping to protect family farms for future generations.
“Instead, taxpayers will be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars to cover free top-tier healthcare for undocumented immigrants and hundreds of millions more in pork projects for Democratic districts.”
Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza stated that she is encouraged by the budget.
“This builds upon the solid foundation we’ve created in recent years with responsible budgeting for the benefit of taxpayers, children, students, the elderly and programs serving the most vulnerable citizens of Illinois,” said Comptroller Mendoza. “I commend Gov. JB Pritzker, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Senate President Don Harmon, lead budget negotiators Senate Leader Elgie Sims and Speaker Pro-Tempore Jehan Gordon-Booth and the rest of the legislature and budgeteers for their diligent and collaborative work.”
State Senator Win Stoller (R-Germantown Hills) released the following statement:
“Since the Governor first took office, we have seen our state budget’s spending go up by over $11 billion. Throughout that time, he has continued to tout his so-called ‘fiscal responsibility’ and ability to produce ‘balanced’ budgets. However, this budget is far from fiscally responsible or even balanced,” Stoller said.
State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) released the following statement:
“The investments this budget makes into education, workforce development and our local economy is a testament to how far we have come to get Illinois back on track,” Koehler stated. “Not only is the state being fiscally responsible by paying down debt and allowing businesses to plan for the future – Illinois is making an investment in the next generation by providing increased funding to our schools, community colleges, four-year universities and programs that will improve workforce development, job development and job creation.”
This story will be updated when more information becomes available.
