Overview

• 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.