ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivered his 2024 State of the State address Wednesday, pitching a $52.7 billion state spending plan with more money to address the migrant crisis, education and quantum computing, while proposing tax increases that will mostly target business, including a major sports betting tax hike.
Here's what local leaders and legislators had to say about Pritzker's address.
Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce
The Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce released the following statement on Pritzker's address:
The Quad Cities Chamber applauds Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker for a continued commitment to balanced budgets, which creates stability and certainty for businesses and residents. The Chamber sees areas for opportunity and collaboration as the State deliberates on final budget allocations and particularly in our focus areas of workforce and business and economic growth.
We appreciate Governor Pritzker’s continued focus on workforce and talent development through investment in child care, K-12 schools and higher education. Access to and affordability of child care remains a barrier to employment for many Illinois residents, and continued growth in the Smart Start program will make a meaningful difference in expanding the employable labor force.
The Governor discussed the need to create pathways for permanent housing. The Chamber is actively supporting legislation to increase construction of middle-income housing, introduced by Senator Mike Halpin this year. This is one way to create a depth of housing options across the state and stabilize rents while driving new housing investment.
We urge additional emphasis on making Illinois a great place for business. Lowering real and perceived regulatory and tax barriers will unlock investment in the Quad Cities region. The Governor’s budget makes changes that both increase and decrease tax impacts on businesses by:
- Extending the sunset on caps for Net Operating Losses (NOL) and increasing that cap to $500,000 (Increase)
- Capping the retail discount on sales tax collections for retailers (Increase)
- Increasing sports wagering taxes (Increase)
- Increasing the franchise tax paid in capital to a $10,000 exemption (Modest Decrease)
Read the Chamber's Illinois Legislative Agenda here.
Illinois State Senators
Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island)
“Stability and growth in Western Illinois starts with a fair budget for everyone. That’s why we have to provide necessary services for residents and businesses alike so they can plan for the future. The governor’s budget is a good start, but we need more for Western Illinois.
“My top priorities will continue to be additional funding for higher education, child care services, infrastructure upgrades and veterans. We have made a good start on these issues in recent years, but there is always room for us to improve.
“As we go through the budget process over these next few months, I will work overtime to ensure that communities in our part of the state get a fair shake. I’m confident that we can get it done, because that’s what our residents deserve.”
Neil Anderson (R-Andalusia)
"The Governor has long made it clear that the hard-working taxpayers of our state are not a priority, but rather pawns to his radical leftist ideological agenda. There are families hurting due to high taxes and the economic climate of Illinois, while this administration is proposing a $1.1 billion tax hike to fund the illegal immigrant crisis this Governor welcomed to our state. With spending up 30 percent since the Pritzker Administration took office, this is not democracy, this is autocracy and our state’s residents deserve better.”
Win Stoller (R-Germantown Hills)
“While the Governor tried to paint a pretty picture today regarding his budget proposal, reality reveals a far different story. The Governor’s budget makes it clear that the citizens of our state are not his true priority. In fact, the Governor wants to raise taxes on Illinois citizens by more than a billion dollars in order to fund his true priority – noncitizens.
“While Illinois families continue to struggle, the Governor proposes the largest budget in state history and expects them to foot the bill. The citizens of our state shouldn’t be the Governor’s piggy bank to pay for his radical noncitizen welfare agenda.”
Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport)
“Republicans have been warning Governor Pritzker for years that the COVID relief funds would eventually dry up and that he should exercise restraint with spending. That day has come, and rather than reining in spending, JB Pritzker is barreling forward with the biggest budget ask in this state’s history.
“JB Pritzker is proposing $1.1 billion in new taxes that will not benefit Illinois families. His proposed hike to income taxes and taxes on businesses comes at the same time that he plans to spend even more money on his programs for migrants and illegal immigrants.”
Illinois House Representatives
Gregg Johnson (D-Rock Island)
Illinois State Representative Gregg Johnson released the following state on Pritzker's address:
In (the) coming months, I will work with my colleagues to craft a responsible budget that continues the progress we have made getting our fiscal house in order. This budget is investing in our kids by putting hundreds of millions into public classroom funding and expanding college scholarships to build a better future for all Illinoisans. Paying down short-term and mid-term debt - and making above and beyond pension payments - will ultimately save taxpayers billions and make Illinois stronger. The framework we heard about today has made me confident in these goals.
Dan Swanson (R-Alpha)
Illinois State Representative Dan Swanson released the following state on Pritzker's address:
I would have liked to have heard the Governor say more about fiscal responsibility and belt-tightening as a responsible way to address the state’s $775 million deficit. Instead we heard more of the same: more taxes and more spending. The Governor continues to send millions of dollars to Chicago to help fight homelessness and provide free medical care to undocumented immigrants, but we have the same needs here in Western Illinois.
I was also hoping to hear more about fixing the mismanagement and dysfunction at state agencies, relieving local property tax burdens and taking on our pension debt. These have all been priorities of House Republicans for years, but we heard minimal details about these topics in the Governor’s speech today.
Norine Hammond (R-Macomb)
Illinois State Representative Norine Hammond released the following state on Pritzker's address:
Today we saw Governor Pritzker introduce the largest budget proposal in state history. The Governor’s FY25 proposed budget spends $52.7 billion, which is a $2.3 billion increase over the FY24 enacted budget – a 4.5% increase.
The Governor’s budget plan includes over $1 billion in additional revenue, raising taxes on Illinois families and businesses while providing minimal tax relief. Instead of proposing any substantive cuts to address the projected $775 million deficit, the Governor is asking taxpayers to again foot the bill so that he can cater to his core constituencies.
Governor Pritzker’s record-high budget does not reflect the shared priorities of Illinois families.
This budget provides better healthcare benefits for undocumented immigrants than most Illinois families receive. In fact, on Gov. Pritzker’s watch, the State will have spent more than $2 billion in taxpayer funds on healthcare benefits for undocumented immigrant adults. Additionally, the State will have spent $820 million to address Chicago’s migrant crisis.
In total, over $2.8 billion is being dedicated to services to migrants and undocumented immigrants, while services for our most vulnerable citizens remain chronically underfunded and underserved.
House Republicans support a balanced budget without gimmicks and tax hikes. We support a budget that prioritizes the needs of Illinois working families and seniors over migrants and undocumented immigrants. We will continue to work to pass a balanced budget that protects Illinois taxpayers, properly funds shared priorities, and makes real reforms to improve our economy.
Bradley Fritts (R-Dixon)
Illinois State Representative Bradley Fritts released the following state on Pritzker's address:
Today we heard this year’s budget priorities from Governor Pritzker. I was deeply disappointed by his divisive, partisan rhetoric that showed us he is more focused on his national political ambitions than the people he was elected to represent.
Healthcare in rural Illinois is drowning right now. Hospitals are closing and specialty providers are packing up and leaving town. But instead of adequately funding Medicaid reimbursement rates to ensure hospitals across the state are able to keep their doors open, Governor Pritzker is paying an estimated $2.8 billion of taxpayer dollars for undocumented immigrants.
I am more than willing to come to the table and have these conversations with my colleagues across the aisle, but the doors to bipartisan cooperation remain closed. I urge my colleagues to offer us a seat at the table so that every part of Illinois is represented in the final FY25 budget.
Ryan Spain (R-Princeton)
Illinois State Representative Ryan Spain released the following state on Pritzker's address:
For a Governor who is perpetually trying to sell himself as a friend of business development and job creation, the budget he proposed today runs completely contrary to that notion. Instead of focusing on his future presidential ambitions and competing with California for the title of most progressive state in the nation, I wish we could get serious about growing Illinois’ economy.
“His proposal includes $2.29 billion in additional spending, a 4.5 percent increase, which would leave us with a $775 million deficit. How does he propose to solve his deficit problem? By raising another billion dollars in taxes on job creators and cutting tax deductions for working-class families. We’ve already spent $2.8 billion on healthcare for non-citizens, and he wants to spend another $811 million instead of admitting his sanctuary state policy has hurt our state and is taking money away from vulnerable Illinoisans who should be our first priority.
One of the few positives I heard from the Governor today was his embrace of a plan I’ve been pushing for years to eliminate the grocery tax. Unfortunately, that is a small consolation in relation to everything else I heard today.
“Illinois has lost population for ten years in a row, and we face the second highest property tax burden in the nation. Putting more pressure on families and small businesses under his proposal is only going to drive more people away. We should be providing tax relief, not asking Illinoisans to pay more.