In this issue:
- Another warning as budget deadline approaches
- Stonewalling of ethics reform continues
- Summer reading program coming soon
- Grundy Economic Development Council breakfast
Another warning as budget deadline approaches
Every month the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA), the state agency charged with monitoring Illinois’ revenue and spending picture, issues a report on the state’s revenue status. And every month it seems to contain another warning about the future. With the adjournment deadline for the House and Senate just a couple of weeks away, the process of making next year’s state budget is entering its final phase. We need to take these warnings seriously.
CGFA warned of a sharp drop in federal funds coming to Illinois. In April, federal funds were down by $227 million. Federal money is a significant part of Illinois’ general funds. A few years ago, when the temporary COVID-19 relief funds from Washington ran out, Governor Pritzker and legislative Democrats continued their spending spree anyway, making it necessary to ram through a nearly $1 billion tax increase at the end of session last year.
There were some positive numbers also: an increase of almost $765 million in personal income taxes paid into the state treasury in April. But that increase could have been tied to the April 15 tax deadline, which means it might not be sustained going forward.
Before this report was issued, we knew that this year’s state budget was going to be tight, as the state was already facing a significant budget deficit. The one thing we cannot do is continue to increase taxes just to allow for more increases in spending.
So I was concerned when I read Speaker Chris Welch’s comment in the Chicago Tribune this week: “We’re going to pass balanced budgets. And listen, when you’re in charge of a large group of tax-and-spend Democrats, that ain’t always easy.”
It’s going to be an interesting couple of weeks around the Capitol.
Stonewalling of ethics reform continues
This year the House created a committee to consider ethics reform bills. The new “Ethics and Elections” committee would have jurisdiction over all bills dealing with ethics reforms and elections in Illinois. As these bills were filed, they were assigned to the committee for debate, consideration and possible action on the House floor.
Except the committee refused to hear them.
Last week was the deadline for bills passed by the Senate to be heard in House committees. The deadline for House bills was back in March. No ethics reform bills made it out of the Ethics committee this spring, despite the clear and growing need to reform state government. Even with these important bills on the agenda, the final Ethics and Elections committee hearing scheduled before the deadline was cancelled.
The graphic below displays some of the many ethics reform proposals which House Republicans have introduced this year.
Summer reading program coming soon
This summer I am again sponsoring my summer reading program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
This year’s theme is Level Up at Your Library! I am encouraging students from throughout our district to read at least eight books during their summer vacation and then fill out and return a summer reading program entry form to my office. You will be invited to an ice cream party at the end of the summer.
Click here for more details. My office will also be distributing summer reading program entry forms to the libraries across our district later this month. Enjoy the adventure of reading a good book!
Grundy Economic Development Council breakfast
Thank you to the Grundy Economic Development Council for hosting their annual Legislative Breakfast on Monday.
They had record breaking numbers, with over 230 attendees this year. Truly incredible.
It was a great discussion with state and federal legislators and members of the public. Thanks to everyone who attended.
Our current bill backlog
When a vendor provides the state with goods and services, they submit the bill to the Illinois Comptroller for payment. The Comptroller processes the paperwork and pays the bill when funds are available in the state’s checking account. Currently the total amount of unpaid bills is $1,810,295,408. This figure changes daily. Last year at this time the state had $1.3 billion in bills awaiting payment. This only includes bills submitted to the Comptroller for payment, not unfunded debts like the state’s pension liability, which is well over $100 billion.
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