Prairie State Wire

The $42 billion budget outlined by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has drawn a crowd of critics since it was announced Feb. 19, including Wirepoints, an organization that researches the Illinois economy and government and offers commentary to inform the citizens of the state.

After the budget address, Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski participated in an interview with Illinois Chanel’s Terry Martin. Dabrowski also issued a statement.

The budget adds $2 billion in spending over the 2020 fiscal year budget (4 percent), and calls for a progressive tax structure that can only happen through a constitutional amendment.

The Wirepoints news release notes that Pritzker rejected attempts to get control over the state’s retirement debts with a pension amendment. Instead, he is calling for a progressive income tax, saying that will fix the state’s problems. This doesn’t go far enough to fix the state’s issues, Wirepoints says, noting this isn’t the first time Pritzker has failed to address those issues.

“This is not a budget for a state that’s just one notch from a junk credit rating. And it’s not a budget that deals with the nation’s worst pension crisis, the second-highest property taxes, the second-worst rate of out-migration and falling real home values,” Dabrowski said in the news release.  “Instead, it’s a budget that gives billions more to a political class that has proven to be the most corrupt in the nation. That will only invite more abuse.”

Pritzker says the state will save $225 million by creating operational efficiencies in the government and consolidating agencies and eliminating boards and commissions. Wirepoints, however, argues that isn’t even 1 percent of the 2021 budget.

The organization notes that the 2021 budget relies on $1.4 billion in progressive tax revenues, but says that won’t fulfill the state’s required retirement payments, which will still be $4 billion short.

“Pritzker’s talk of cutting state spending is what Illinois actually needs but the cuts need to come in the right places," Wirepoints said. "Pritzker is wrong to threaten cuts to the core services Illinoisans need. Instead, he should champion structural reforms: the consolidation of local governments; a push for a pension amendment; a drop in labor costs; and a significant reduction in mandates on municipalities.”