Davidsmeyer’s response to Pritzker’s $52.7 billion budget proposal
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By Steven Spencer
Governer Pritzker outlined plans for a $52.7 billion budget for the state of Illinois last week and received some critical response throughout the state.
State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer issued a response last week saying that the budget does not reflect the priorities of Illinois taxpayers as the budget plan includes more than $1 billion in new taxes.
While the governor has boasted a budget that includes $2.55 billion in higher education, Davidsmeyer said there are citizens with developmental disabilities who have been waiting to receive services for years.
“The Governor continues to make more and more new promises for brand new spending,” Davidsmeyer said in a press release. “In the last decade, the Illinois budget has gone from $33 billion to a proposed $52.7 billion. Meanwhile, the state is neglecting the developmentally disabled who have been waiting on the PUNS list to receive services for almost as many years.”
PUNS is a database that registers children and adults who want or need Developmental Disability Waiver services, and helps identify and plan services for each individual on the PUNS list.
Davidsmeyer also addressed immigration funding and issues in the state.
“Then there is the reality of the illegal immigration issue, which Gov. Pritzker blames on Texas Governor Abbott, rather than President Biden,” Representative Davidsmeyer stated. “The idea that a new law is needed to close our borders is completely negated by the fact the prior president had policies that all but stopped illegal immigration. The Governor’s sanctuary state policies have cost Illinois taxpayers over $2 billion, which continues to grow.”
“And finally, how is Pritzker going to pay for all this new spending? He is going to raise taxes by another billion dollars! The Governor is using Illinois taxpayers to fund his political race to the bottom, comparing our state to California as he prepares for his own political future and Presidential aspirations against their governor,” Davidsmeyer added.
Davidsmeyer also stated in the release that he and other House Republicans support a balanced budget without tax hikes and will continue to “fight for responsible state spending which prioritizes taxpayers and our most vulnerable citizens.”
