East Central Reporter

Gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) reacted to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s State of the State Address and his proposed budget last week, calling for serious reform in the state’s tax policies. 

Bailey said the budget, which offers up to $1 billion in tax relief, does little to benefit working class residents of the state.

“I think it's very obvious that Pritzker, the Democratic Party, and the political elites have abandoned the working families of Illinois,” Bailey said. “It's interesting, because I think now he's having a tough time with his re-election, so he's offering an empty box of chocolates right before Valentine's Day and he's calling it tax relief.”

In a Feb. 2 report, Patch said the nearly $1 billion in tax relief proposed in the governor’s budget, called the Illinois Family Relief Plan, will come from a temporary freeze on the annual gas, grocery and property taxes, saving millions in linked inflation. 

“Maybe for a trust fund billionaire like J.B., temporarily not raising taxes sounds like tax relief, but for the working families across Illinois who are struggling to pay bills, keeping gas in their cars, deciding not to take an extra couple of pennies from them, I think, is a slap in the face,” Bailey said.

Pritzker’s tax relief decisions come  following record inflation and increased costs on consumers alongside increased tax receipts, Patch reports.

“We need serious reforms in Springfield that aren't reliant on federal bailouts and actually benefit working families and taxpayers long-term, not temporary shams during election years,” Bailey said.

According to Patch, Pritzker’s proposed state budget totals $112.5 billion. Of that, $45.5 billion would come from the state’s general revenue fund and the rest from federal funds. 

Alongside the proposed tax relief plan, the report states public employee pensions are a big part of the budget.