Gov. JB Pritzker to Present Balanced Budget with Surprising Surplus
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's budget address will highlight improved revenue projections, fiscal discipline, and a proposal to ease township consolidation.
- Gov. JB Pritzker is set to unveil a $55 billion budget proposal that includes a small surplus, defying earlier projections of a $3.2 billion deficit.
- The budget plan avoids tax increases, with Pritzker emphasizing fiscal discipline and stating tax hikes are a last resort.
- Key initiatives include a proposal to simplify the process for voters to consolidate or eliminate local township governments to cut costs and reduce inefficiencies.
- The plan allocates additional funding for education, including $75 million for state-funded preschool programs and a $350 million increase for K-12 schools.
- Republican lawmakers call for greater transparency and oppose increased taxes, while criticizing funding for programs benefiting noncitizens.