Illinois Senate Republican Deputy Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris) issued the following statement after Democrat lawmakers passed a nearly $56 billion budget that includes more than $800 million in new taxes, fees, and revenue enhancements and sweeps $150 million of sales tax funds generated by fuel:
“Instead of providing relief at the pump, Democrats chose to sweep $150 million in ‘surplus’ sales tax revenue generated by higher gas prices into government spending on special interests.
“At a time when families are paying more for groceries, housing, utilities, and fuel, Illinois taxpayers deserve relief, not another spending spree. When prices go up, families pay more. Rather than helping taxpayers, the Majority Party found another way to spend their money.
“This budget breaks records in all the wrong ways. State spending has now increased by 40 percent since Governor Pritzker took office, yet Illinois still has the highest property taxes in America, the worst unemployment rate in the Midwest, and an economy growing at roughly half the pace of the rest of the country.
“Families are being asked to pay more while getting less in return. Illinois needs fiscal discipline, economic growth, affordable and reliable energy, and policies that help families get ahead. This budget moves our state in the opposite direction.”