State Representative Dennis Tipsword issued a press release this week stating, “much of the Governor’s budget plan for Fiscal Year 2024 will be a ‘non-starter’ for him.”
Tipsword, a Republican from Metamora, representing the 105th district said, “the $49.6 billion plan continues the long Democrat tradition of spending money we don’t have and taxing families and employers to pay for it.”
The 105th district covers large portions of Livingston and McLean Counties. Included in the district are the villages of Anchor, Carlock, Colfax, Cooksville, Downs, Forrest, Gridley, Hudson, Strawn and Towanda.
“In a nutshell, the Governor is using temporary and one time revenues to justify putting new, ongoing spending programs in place. Even the State Comptroller from his own party has cautioned against that type of policy,” said Rep. Tipsword. “When the temporary revenue sources dry up, taxpayers will again be left footing the bill.”
Pritker’s press release on his budget proposal says, “Building on four years of fiscal progress, Governor Pritzker’s fifth balanced budget proposal will make transformative, generational investments in early childhood education and childcare, the teacher pipeline, higher education, and efforts to fight poverty.”
This is exactly what Tipsword is talking about.
” … we’re finally investing in what really matters — improving education …,” Pritzker said in his remarks.
This statement admits Pritzker hasn’t been investing in education. In fact in recent years the state has failed to fully fund K-12 education.
Pritker bragged about the failure to fully fund education when he said, “Compare that to 2018, prior to the implementation of evidence-based funding, when 168 districts in Illinois were funded at levels under 60 percent of adequacy targets. Today, only 2 districts are in that lowest category.”
Turn that around and Pritzker is saying that some school districts in the state are funded at levels that are only 60% adequate. That’s one of the main reasons Unit 5 is attempting to pass a tax referendum. Yet, in the face of this, Pritzker wants to add a program for early childhood education. Might it be more logical to restore K-12 funding before adding any new programs?
Pritzker’s program is called the Smart Start Illinois Early Childhood Education Plan. According to the press release, “Smart Start Pre-K is a four year plan that will allow access to pre-school for every three and four year old in Illinois. It will increase our funding for the Early Childhood Block Grant program this year by $75 million.”
Realistically, 75 million isn’t that much at the state level. It’s questionable how many children this program might actually reach. But $75 million would pay a $87,924 salary to an employee in each of Illinois’ 853 districts. That’s a meaningful amount to every district.
Tipsword specifically pointed out in his release that, “Recent spending expansions without a revenue source include: minimum wage increases, funding needed to enact the SAFE-T Act, the Reimagine Public Safety Act and more.”
Pritzker didn’t mention how the state will pay for required minimum wage increases for all its employees. The Minimum wage is $13 an hour this year on its way to $15.
Pritzker also didn’t mention the SAFE-T Act so it goes without saying nothing was said about anything he is doing to help pay for the additional costs necessary to work under that law. If the Act does go into force it will add to administrative costs for enforcement agencies and courts.
Pritzker did address public safety saying, “we need to be safe in our businesses and our homes. So we’ve beefed up support for law enforcement to reduce crime. In 2022, Illinois State Police’s Metropolitan Enforcement Groups and Drug Task Forces across the state seized 679 firearms and over 13 tons of drugs including multiple major interdictions of deadly fentanyl, and 1,942 individuals involved in crimes were arrested.”
Pritzker continued, “With increased patrols and technology, ISP cut the number of homicides on Chicago area expressways by 88% and shootings dropped nearly in half. That’s real progress, and this year’s budget continues funding the hiring of additional troopers and upgrading the tools to catch perpetrators.”
“Rep. Tipsword stressed that all priorities need to be heard and considered in the state budget process this spring. He said putting together a responsible state budget should begin by adopting an agreed revenue estimate and then limiting spending accordingly. He also said lawmakers and taxpayers themselves need more access to participate in hearings, and more time to review proposals before they are called before the House for a vote.
“’How we plan to spend $50 billion of the taxpayers’ money needs to be open for discussion and public review. Transparency is a must,’ Rep. Tipsword said.”
“Rep. Tipsword also noted that some Democrats have already announced that they plan to again push a progressive income tax increase that was resoundingly rejected by voters in 2020.”
