With their chances looking bleak in November, Illinois Democrats have literally resorted to handing voters $100 dollars and calling it ‘relief’ in the face of record high inflation and Illinois’ highest in the nation tax burden.
In addition to a multitude of temporary gimmicks that conveniently end right after the election, Democrats are painting a rosy picture of our state’s finances, pretending an influx of $12 BILLION into the state from the federal government didn’t have anything to do with it.
What Democrats won’t mention is that they used the temporary federal bailout to go on permanent spending spree. The budget spends a state record $46.5 billion which amounts to a massive increase in our operating budget despite state revenues projected to decrease over the same time period. Pritzker has increased state spending by over 20% since taking office. Unsustainable.
And what did they use this extra federal bailout cash on? Fully replenishing our unemployment insurance trust fund to avoid massive tax hikes or addressing structural deficits to provide meaningful and permanent tax relief? No, Democrats packed their budget with over a billion dollars in pork projects in Democrat districts as well as a pay raise for legislators.
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy released the following statement in response:
“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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