As published in the Rockford Register Star:
Governor JB Pritzker gave his annual update on the “State of the State” on February 18 and ignored several important factors facing Illinois. Under his watch, our residents pay the highest combined taxes and fees of any state; the highest property taxes, have the highest unfunded pension liability, the worst bond rating, and lead the nation per capita in population loss. We are unfortunately on track to lose another congressional seat after the next census.
Rather than discuss the issues facing Illinois, the Governor took the time to paint a rosy picture as if nothing was wrong. He then laid out how he was going to raise taxes and fees by over $700 million and blamed the federal government. It was surreal.
Amazingly, state spending has increased 40% since Governor Pritzker took office; $2.5 billion has been wasted on health care and services for illegal immigrants, $1.5 billion to bail out Chicago’s mass transit system, and $5.2 billion more lost to unemployment insurance fraud according to a recent Auditor General report. While the Governor may mean well, his policies are not working. Taxpayer money is being wasted. We need a new path. Not more of the same.
Illinois’ priorities should be reducing our spending and improving efficiency in everything that we do. We should focus immediately on property tax relief for families and seniors, reducing energy costs, and opting into the new federal tax provision that allows workers to deduct wages earned from tips and overtime, which Illinois currently does not allow for state income taxes.
Illinois can unleash our full potential for growth and affordability but we need to change course and re-set our priorities.
State Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R-69th)