In this issue:
- Largest-ever state budget passes at 4 a.m.
- Mixed results for local governments
- Resolution for Farm Safety Week
- Updates on a few more issues
Largest-ever state budget passes at 4 a.m.
Another year, another big spending budget. Every year it’s the same. State government is warned that it can’t keep spending more and more each year. The Governor ignores the warning and proposes a bigger budget than last year. Democrats in the legislature ram the budget through – and raise taxes to make up the difference.
This year, Illinois set a record for the biggest spending bill in history: a 3,703-page bill which costs $55.9 billion. The final draft of the budget was revealed Sunday night and called for a vote before dawn on Monday morning. It was passed just a few minutes after 4 a.m.
If that sounds familiar, it should.
Illinois set a spending record last year too. And the year before that. Each time, a 3000-page bill was dropped on our desks and called for a vote a short time later.
The budget has increased by more than $16 billion in just eight years. Of course, the state doesn’t have that kind of money to spend right now. Taxes will be going up by $800 million to cover all that spending.
I voted No on this budget. Illinois cannot keep going with this endless cycle of more taxes and more spending. It has to stop.
Mixed results for local governments
In his initial budget presentation back in February Governor Pritzker proposed cutting the share of state tax revenue which is shared with local governments. Local governments were originally promised 10% of state revenue, but over the years that share has dwindled to about 6.5%. Governor Pritzker proposed to cut it further.
Legislative Republicans and mayors from around the state loudly protested these cuts, as the cities and villages would have had to either cut services or raise property taxes to make up the difference. We were able to create enough of an outcry that the Governor backed off of his plan to reduce funds to support local governments.
So while the Governor was not able to reduce funding to local governments any further, he did nothing to return to the original 10% promise. It was a decidedly mixed result.
Resolution for Farm Safety Week
Farming is Illinois’ number one industry. It puts food on our tables, clothes on our backs, and fuel in our cars. But farming is also one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States.
The farming profession sees over 500 fatalities nationwide every year. That is a rate seven times higher than the national average for workers. Responsibility for farm safety does not end with those who work on farms – it extends to the general public as well. Motorists should keep in mind that farmers who operate slow-moving equipment on our highways have limited visibility, especially behind them. Anyone passing such a vehicle should use extreme caution.
And when we talk about farm safety, we also need to encourage farmers to take care of their own health. It is important to follow best practices to safeguard farmers and farm workers, and to remind everyone to put safety first.
I sponsored a resolution declaring September 21st through 25th as Farm Safety Week in the State of Illinois to shine a light on the importance of farm safety and to remind everyone in our state of the important, but hazardous, work farmers do every day.
Updates on a few more issues
As usual, many different bills were crammed into the last hours of session. Here are a few updates on some of the legislation which we saw moving in the closing hours.
The planned increase in the state’s gas tax will not go into effect on July 1. Each year, the gas tax is adjusted for inflation, but because of the higher gas prices we have seen this spring there will be no increase this year. It was delayed by six months. The suspension will save drivers 1.3 cents per gallon. House Republicans had argued for pausing the state’s sales tax charged on gasoline, which would have saved drivers more money.
Legislation concerning a new stadium for the Chicago Bears did not pass. The “megaprojects bill” which passed the House in April seemed to collapse under its own weight in the Senate. At the last minute a different plan was substituted which would have allowed certain cities in Cook County to establish their own municipal stadium authority to build their own stadium. That bill passed the Senate, but it was not called for a vote in the House. It remains to be seen what the next step in this process will be.
Implementation of the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act, which could affect how you use your credit card for taxes and tips, was delayed by one year. Litigation is still pending, and the federal government has stepped into the matter as well. In order to sort out all these conflicting cases, the new law, which was scheduled to take effect on July 1, will be suspended for a year.
Community Health Fair in Watseka on Wednesday
The Iroquois County Public Health Department, Senator Chris Balkema and I will be hosting a FREE community health fair on Wednesday morning in Watseka.
We will be at the Watseka School Unit 9 office, which is at 1411 W. LaFayette Street, from 9 a.m. until noon.
This event will give local residents the chance to stop by for helpful information, guides and other resources from state, county and local service agencies.
The event is free and open to the public. I hope you will stop by!
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 $1,430,932,347. This figure changes daily. Last year at this time the state had $1.5 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.
Illinois headlines
Illinois legislature approves school cellphone ban, governor says he’ll sign
Loyola student murder suspect found with shank in Cook County Jail: officials
Illinois State Police releases distracted driving enforcement patrol figures
Take a hike at an Illinois state park for National Trails Day on June 6
National Traveling Memorial will be in Marseilles later this month