DeKalb Times

In a video posted on Facebook on Feb. 15, Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) responded to Gov. J.B. Pritzker's State of the State and Budget Address.

"In all my years I've never seen so much new spending. Nearly $3 billion of new funding at a time when we know we're getting ready to head into a recessionary period," Syverson said. "The spending increase over last year is just something that is not going to be sustainable and it's very frustrating because this is going to lead to massive tax increases or delayed payments. Either way this is certainly going to be a problem."

He also issued a press release with a further response. "Gov. Pritzker has been able to balance the state’s budget the last two years with the help of billions of federal tax dollars that are now ending,” Syverson said. “Yet even with a looming economic slowdown, his spending proposal for next year seeks to increase permanent spending by $3 billion. That, by any financial measurement, is not sustainable and means Illinois’ working families will be facing a major tax increase very soon.” 

In his address, Pritzker touted fiscal progress.

"What was once an Illinois with $17 billion in overdue bills is now an Illinois that pays its bills on time. What was once an Illinois that went years without a budget is now an Illinois that has passed four balanced budgets in a row," Pritzker said. "What was once a state with no cushion to protect it in an economic downturn is now an Illinois on track to have a $2.3 billion Rainy Day Fund."

He also listed the state's upgraded credit rating and billions in debt paid off.