Carbondale Reporter

State Representative Dave Severin has criticized Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's recent State of the State and Budget Address, claiming it failed to address the financial impact of Illinois' Sanctuary State policies. Severin stated, "Governor Pritzker has been the head honcho of illegal immigration since taking office, supporting sanctuary state policies, and spending billions of taxpayer dollars on illegal migrant services." He accused the governor of blaming former President Trump for Illinois' financial issues instead of taking responsibility.

Governor Pritzker's proposed budget for FY26 amounts to $55.235 billion, marking a 3.7% increase over last year and a significant rise from his first budget year in FY20. Severin argued that this reflects overspending by Pritzker and General Assembly Democrats, stating, "It’s been record spending budgets and tax hikes year after year."

Severin outlined three priorities for improving Illinois' finances: economic growth through government reform and good tax policy, reducing costs through agency efficiencies and structural reforms, and opposing further tax increases.

House Republican Leader Tony McCombie expressed strong opposition to the Governor's spending plan at a press conference following the budget address, declaring it "dead on arrival."

Moody’s Analytics and the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA) have shown that Illinois has underperformed in economic growth compared to other U.S. states. The state has experienced job losses in manufacturing and information technology sectors over the past decade.

The article also touched upon several other topics including education policies regarding cellphone use in schools, transportation changes with REAL ID requirements set to take effect in May 2025, and ongoing economic challenges facing various regions within Illinois.