Carbondale Reporter

State Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) wants Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL) to give Republicans 'a seat at the grown-up table' so their ideas on tax relief and fiscal responsibility can also be heard.

Bryant's comments came as a reaction to Pritzker's statements about the proposed state budget during the State of the State Address on Feb. 2.

"The governor had a lot of new and expanded programs," Bryant said. 

The proposed budget includes spending increases to education, public safety, and small businesses while making "unprecedented payments" to the rainy day fund and state pensions, according to a press release from Pritzker's office.

"We've talked a lot about the need, if we're going to get our fiscal house in order, to make sure we don't have new and expanded programs right now," Bryant said. "I like some of the things he said about getting our fiscal house in order. It's time to pass some of that on to taxpayers."

The release also highlighted funding that would provide some tax relief which includes a freeze on grocery taxes and the increased gas tax, plus a one-time property tax rebate for Illinois property owners. 

"I think Republicans have some excellent ideas on how to make permanent changes and permanent tax relief to the taxpayers of the state rather than election-year gimmicks," Bryant said. "If we want to make changes, we need to make those changes in a permanent way."

According to Patch, Pritzker's proposed budget for Illinois comes in at a total of $112.5 billion.

Less than half of that budget, or $45.5 billion, would come from the state's general revenue fund, the remainder would be funded by federal dollars, the report noted. 

The article also highlighted that a big part of the budget was put aside for public employee pensions.