Sen. Tracy — Borrow-and-spend budget forced through Senate

Western Illinois State Senator Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) said the Illinois Senate Democrat leaders forced through a Fiscal Year 2021 budget over the weekend, ignoring recommendations from Senate Republicans and their requests to allow more time to analyze the $43 billion spending plan that relies on $5 billion in borrowed revenues. Tracy says she did not support the spending plan, approved in the early morning hours of Sunday, May 24th, because it relies too heavily on borrowing and sources of revenue that are anticipated but not assured. The budget Governor Pritzker presented three months ago had $1.68 billion in new spending, and a huge tax increase. Now, late in May after two-plus months of economic and social quarantine, Tracy said they were being asked to trust a spending plan that relies on a $5 billion line of credit, which we may or may not have the resources to repay without receiving a huge federal bailout. Any spending plan will have its supporters and its opponents, but to succeed it will require good-faith negotiations. The 47th District Senator says duly elected Senators representing the interests of hundreds of thousands of constituents should be allowed a voice in the tough decisions necessary to pass a balanced budget with structural reforms that will boost the economy and jobs. She added, Governor Pritzker has said many times that he wants to work in a bipartisan manner – but so far, it’s just been lip service. Fiscal Year 2021 runs from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021.