Lawmakers returned to Springfield on Wed., May 20, 2020, for the first time since March. Their major responsibility was to approve the fiscal 2021 budget before the end of the spring session at the end of May, after which the threshold for passage rises to three-fifths from a simple majority. The budget goes into effect July 1.
Late Saturday the State of Illinois passed the Fiscal Year 2021 state budget that increases spending by 6.8 percent. The 68-44 vote was passed in the House largely along party lines.
The budget spends $42.8 billion while revenues are expected to be $36.8 billion, $5 billion of which comes from additional borrowing to be paid back over the next decade. Lawmakers propose looking to the Federal government to fill the gap, many online sources say.
The following statements were received after the vote late last night. Other elected officials serving Naperville in Springfield are welcomed/were contacted for comments regarding the budget. —PN
Senator Laura Ellman, Naperville (21st – D)
“There’s no doubt that these were unusual circumstances under which to pass a state budget. We came together as a governing body and passed a responsible budget.”
“What we accomplished this week is just a start. We did what was needed to begin moving forward. Make no mistake, there’s still a lot work to be done, but I believe if we continue to come together as a state, we can tackle this challenge, and when we do, we will be stronger for it.”
Representative Amy Grant, Wheaton (42nd – R)
“House Republicans pushed for a responsible, balanced budget that included a pay reduction for lawmakers. What we got instead was a wildly out-of-balance budget that actually increases spending by $2 billion at a time when state tax revenues have plummeted. Democrats shut Republicans out of final budget discussions and made sure the budget that came to the floor included a nice pay raise for themselves. I could not support such an irresponsible abuse of legislative authority.
“Including a pay raise for legislators is a slap in the face to every Illinoisan who has suffered financial loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when people have lost their jobs, had their hours reduced, or been forced to take furlough days or weeks, lawmakers have no business giving themselves raises. House Republicans filed a bill to reduce pay to 2019 levels and they rejected it and buried the bill in the Rules Committee. What Democrats did today was shameful.”
Representative Grant Wehrli, Naperville (41st – R)
“Democrats own this budget because they shut out Republicans and decided to go it alone. Not only did they decide to increase spending at a time when state revenues fell off a cliff, but they included pay raises for themselves. It is unconscionable that in the middle of this health and financial crisis, when tens of thousands of Illinoisans have seen wages reduced or eliminated altogether, that Democrats would raise their own pay. House Republicans filed a bill to reduce pay to FY2019 levels, but our bill denied a hearing and vote.
“We had an opportunity to return to Springfield this week and work together on a responsible budget that acknowledged Illinois’ new financial realities. Instead, House Republicans were completely shut out of the final budget product, and Democrats rejected any notion of fiscal discipline. This is a terrible budget.
“I am deeply concerned with the enormous amount of control and authority that Democrats handed to Governor Pritzker within the Fiscal Year 2021 budget. The Governor, who has mismanaged many elements of the COVID-19 response, will have nearly unlimited power and discretion over an incredibly large sum of money within this budget. Trusting him to manage large portions of our budget is not wise given his recent missteps with the handling of COVID-19.”
Representative Stephanie Kifowit, Oswego (84th – D)
“First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge all of our frontline workers during this difficult time and thank all the nurses, doctors and first responders for their courage while they fight COVID-19 every day. With these workers in mind, I joined my colleagues in passing a responsible budget that prioritizes public health, health care and supporting small mom and pop businesses along with helping individuals with unemployment support while making sure we support domestic violence shelters, homelessness prevention and senior services.
“In addition to directing over $400 million toward COVID-19 testing and local health efforts, the budget keeps our promise to fund pensions and maintains our commitment to education from early childhood through college. We also added flexibility to the budget, granting the governor and state agencies the ability to allocate resources as effectively as possible during the uncertainty of a pandemic.
“Homeowners deserve relief, and I backed an effort to immediately suspend property tax late payment fees and to create a one year deferral on exemption reapplication paperwork for seniors, Veterans and disabled individuals.
“We also took steps to streamline workers’ compensation in the wake of COVID-19, adding protections and increasing the amount of unemployment that workers in need can receive.
“While there is uncertainty ahead of us, proactive steps have been taken to help families during this unprecedented crisis. More work remains, and I look forward to working with our community as we handle this crisis.”
Many online reports available, this one quotes Bloomberg
In a May 24, 2020, report on Bloomberg, readers are reminded that “Illinois has reported nearly 4,800 deaths due to Covid-19 (Click here for PN report), and has lost more than a million jobs. Officials last month lowered this year’s revenue fund projections by $2.7 billion, and another $4.6 billion in 2021, after the stay-at-home order brought a near halt to economic activity.”
Bloomberg News Muni Finance Reporter Shruti Singh added, “All this, in addition to Illinois’s record $138 billion of unfunded pension liabilities, lack of rainy day fund and $7 billion in unpaid bills, has returned the indebted state back to the brink of a junk rating.
“The roughly $40 billion budget doesn’t include about $1.2 billion in fiscal 2020 short-term borrowing and $400 million in interfund borrowing by the state treasurer’s office that will have to be repaid in fiscal 2021, according to Lake Forest resident Heather Steans (D-7th)” in the Bloomberg report.
Local matters more than ever
“Now more than ever” was a phrase used a number of times that stood out during Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico’s State of the City Address presented virtually on Tues., May 19, hosted by the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Now more than ever is time to pay attention; get to know individuals who want to serve local interests in DuPage County, Will County, Springfield and Washington; contact state officials regularly with prudent opinions and sensible solutions; wash hands for 20 seconds often, but be mindful not to wash away common sense. —PN
Editor’s Note: If/when other elected officials serving Naperville in Springfield send comments regarding the budget, they will be added. Note also that PN does not regularly post press releases from candidates and/or elected officials. (11AM, May 24, 2020)
