Following Gov. Pritzker’s joint State of the State and Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Address, State Representative Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) released the following statement:
“Since before the Governor’s budget proposal last year, my Republican colleagues and I have been warning that our state would face a deficit as federal COVID relief funds ran out and all the new spending initiatives created by progressive Democrats and the Governor ran out of funding sources. This budget proposal lays bare that problem as the Governor is proposing a billion dollars in tax increases and cost shifts that will fall on the backs of Illinois families and job creators and drive even more people out of our state.
“As I’ve said before, instead of creating new and costly programs to satisfy the never-ending spending demands of progressives, we should be focused on providing tax relief and shoring up funding for critical programs that support our most vulnerable citizens like seniors and the disabled.
“On top of that, this proposal makes it clear that bipartisan legislation introduced a few weeks ago to reduce the negative impact of the estate tax on family farms and small businesses was merely another election-year bait and switch because the Governor completely ignored it in his proposal. Yet, he’s suggesting the state appropriate $2.5 billion to promote an unspecified constitutional amendment on the general election ballot.
“As inflation continues to affect the pocketbooks of individuals and families, this budget should include significant tax relief for Illinoisans. Instead, taxpayers are again being asked to pay more to promote Democrats extreme progressive agenda.
“I sincerely hope the Governor and Democrats will invite Republicans to the table this year to develop a budget that reflects the needs and priorities of all Illinoisans, but this proposal does not inspire me with much hope.”
Rep. Keicher serves the 70th District, which includes portions of DeKalb, Kane, and McHenry Counties.