In an April 9 Facebook post, Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Harrisburg) spoke his mind about the fiscal year 2023 budget that passed both chambers that morning.
“I am profoundly disappointed in the process that lead to the budget product that passed with only Democratic votes this morning," Windhorst posted. "The spending plan approved today leverages our future, fails to adequately address our long-term debt obligations, raises lawmaker pay, and spends $1 billion in Federal ARPA money on pork projects for Democratic districts. I voted no because the people of Illinois deserve a more transparent process when it comes to how their tax money is spent.”
Windhorst isn’t the only Republican who has spoken against the budget.
“We can even do the earned income tax credit increase that the governor proposed on a permanent basis, not election-year gimmicks, not designed to go away after the election is over, but on a permanent basis for the people of Illinois," Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Champaign) said, according to The Chicago Sun-Times.
According to NBC5 Chicago, the budget includes: setting the fuel tax at 39 cents per gallon from Jan. 1, 2023; a suspension of the 1% state sales tax on groceries from July 1, 2023; rebates of up to $300 from property taxes; and families will receive checks from the state - $100 per child and $50 per individual. Income limitations of $400,000 for joint followers or $200,000 per individual taxpayer will be levied with the checks.
The House of Representatives voted for the $46.5 billion budget before 6 a.m. on April 9, according to the Chicago Tribune.
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