East Central Reporter

State Representative Brad Halbrook of Shelbyville, along with several other Republican lawmakers, held a press conference to address concerns over Illinois' budget process. The representatives criticized the lack of transparency and called for reforms to avoid tax increases.

"Today we are sounding the alarm on a crisis that has been hiding in plain sight for far too long: Illinois’ broken, opaque, and deliberately dysfunctional budget process," said Rep. Halbrook. He highlighted the state's failure to adopt responsible fiscal management compared to other states.

Governor Pritzker's proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026 is $55.2 billion, which marks an increase of nearly $2 billion from the previous year. Since 2019, under Governor Pritzker's administration, the budget has grown by 38%.

"In 2015, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities ranked Illinois’ budget process among the worst in the nation," Halbrook stated. "Nearly a decade later, not much has changed."

Halbrook criticized what he described as a "tax-and-spend mess" by Democrats and argued that tax increases have not resolved fiscal issues but rather fueled distrust in government.

The Illinois General Assembly is set to adjourn on May 31st without House Republicans having seen detailed budget plans. Halbrook labeled this situation as "dysfunction" and indicative of "tyrannical one-party rule."

In his closing remarks directed at Governor Pritzker, Halbrook emphasized that taxpayers should not be treated as "human ATMs with unlimited amounts of cash."

For further information, contact Rep. Halbrook at (217) 342-0220 or visit RepHalbrook.com.