Illinois Gov. Pritzker delivers budget proposal, vows no tax hikes

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is set to give his budget address today in Springfield and lay out his plan on how to close a more than $3 billion spending gap.

The governor has vowed not to increase taxes to balance the budget for fiscal year 2026.

Promises of cost savings, few details

What we know:

Each year, the governor submits a budget proposal with his own spending priorities, but state lawmakers in the General Assembly have to ultimately vote on and approve a final budget. Lawmakers have until June 30 to approve a budget for the next fiscal year.

Pritzker used the address to highlight policies he said will help working class Illinoisans suffering from high costs due to inflation.

The governor aims to close a $3.2 billion budget gap, which represents about half a percent of the overall spending plan.

While he's not proposing tax increases, he's lined up a laundry list of vague "efficiencies" and cuts to balance the budget.

"This proposed budget enacts cost-saving operational efficiencies, improves productivity, curtails new hiring at agencies, consolidates unnecessary, segregated funds, eliminates dormant boards and commissions, and overhauls state purchasing to save taxpayers money," Pritzker said.

He's also aiming to increase the state's contributions to public school systems like Chicago Public Schools by $350 million statewide. He's also calling for the making of mandatory higher payments to the state's pension system.

There are other proposals that could garner him some national attention as he flirts with a potential run for the White House in 2028 like reducing prescription drug costs, canceling medical debt, a ban on cellphones in classrooms, and a proposal to begin consolidating township governments.

GOP claims budget ‘gimmicks’

The other side:

Republican lawmakers have questioned how it's possible for the governor to propose a balanced budget given the significant increases in spending during his administration.

GOP House members said Pritzker's proposed budget relies on "gimmicks and one-time tax tricks to pretend that it is balanced."

Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna), who represents a district in the western part of the state and serves as the House Minority leader, said Pritzker's budget proposal "masks a $3.2 billion deficit on paper, setting taxpayers up for a potential tax hike on May 31."

Senate Minority Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) criticized Pritzker and noted that state spending has grown 37% since the governor took office in 2019.

"Rather than ensuring transparency, it relies on the same gimmicks and job-killing taxes that hurt Illinois' growth," Curran said.

Other Republicans have proposed the state create its own version of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This would follow the lead of billionaire tech executive Elon Musk, who has sought to dramatically cut federal government spending.

Still, Republicans are in the minority in both the House of Representatives and Senate. Democrats outnumber Republicans 40-19 in the upper chamber and 78-40 in the lower chamber.