Democrats’ Budget-Tax, Spend, Repeat
Hold on to your wallet…while you were likely sleeping late Saturday night Democrats in the state House and Senate passed a near record-breaking Fiscal Year 2026 state budget with $1 billion in additional taxes. I voted no.
The budget just forced through the legislature will spend $55.2 billion- that’s a $2 billion increase over last year.
Only a few months ago Governor Pritzker told us all in his budget address “If you come to the table looking to spend more I’m going to ask you where you want to cut”. A budget that spends billions more than last year means there will be no cuts. Instead, there will be tax hikes…and more families and businesses will leave Illinois.
We don’t need more spending. We need reforms and good policy. We need to reduce costs by identifying and fixing agency inefficiencies. And we need to reduce the tax burden on our families and businesses, not add more to it.
The One Bright Spot
The only bright spot in the final budget is what was NOT in it…Democrats’ proposed service taxes!
A recent WalletHub study that shows Illinoisans are already paying the highest combined state and local tax burden in the country (16.51%), including:
- #1: Overall State & Local Tax Burden (2024)
- #2: Property Taxes (2024)
- #2: Gasoline Taxes (2024)
- #2: Corporate Income Tax (2024)
The proposed 6.25% Service tax would have dramatically raised the cost of more than 80 services our families and businesses depend upon and force us to pay yet another “highest tax rate in the nation”. Huge public push-back on those taxes are responsible for their being withdrawn…for now. Thank you to everyone who wrote, called, and testified in opposition to this terrible idea.
By the Numbers
All Bills Passed the House this Spring – 388
Republican-Sponsored Bills – 67
Democrat-Sponsored Bills – 321
Bills Passed Both Houses this Spring – 428
Republican-Sponsored Bills – 60
Democrat-Sponsored Bills – 368
Yes, my Republican colleagues and I are in the minority, but we represent millions of Illinoisans whose concerns and ideas are overwhelmingly blocked from consideration by the majority party. This. Must. Stop.