Illinois governors abuse budget projections, leaving taxpayers damaged

By FJ Hilgart

03/31/2025

Illinois lawmakers can’t budget responsibly if they don’t know how much they have. Governors have a history of fudging the numbers to get what they want.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Figure out if there’s a problem before boosting Illinois pensions

By LyLena Estabine

03/11/2025

Without careful evaluation of whether Illinois’ pensions for newer employees are running afoul of federal rules or what the penalties would be, spending $78 million from the state’s budget is premature and wasteful.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, pensions, taxes

Pritzker’s $1.5B wish for cash quickly vanishes

By Bryce Hill

03/06/2025

The latest forecast from the Illinois General Assembly estimates Illinois will have $737 million to $1.2 billion less in revenue than Gov. J.B. Pritzker hopes to spend.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Pritzker pushes $13B pension benefit hike in his budget

By Bryce Hill

03/06/2025

Newer state employees would get a $13 billion pension benefit boost if Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal passes. What should be a minor fix is being used to create an even bigger Illinois pension mess.

TAGS: budget, Illinois, JB Pritzker

Missed opportunity: Irresponsible budgeting costs Illinois nearly $27 billion

By FJ Hilgart

02/28/2025

Illinois had a prime opportunity with increased revenues and COVID relief funds to balance the budget. Instead, the government spent it all and now faces an even larger shortfall.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Pritzker’s 2026 budget poses short-term fixes, sneaks in new “tax hike”

By Ravi Mishra, Lauren Zuar

02/25/2025

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s 2026 budget includes record spending, cuts to economic development and overreliance on short-term revenue tricks—including a cleverly hidden tax hike, leaving significant work for the state to reach financial stability.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Pritzker’s magic beans: Growing a record-setting $55B Illinois budget

By Bryce Hill

02/19/2025

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker invoked a fairy tale about magic beans and a giant during his annual state of the state and budget address. Too bad he forgot to take an ax to the giant, record-setting budget he has grown by $16.7 billion since taking office.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Pritzker at 50% approval ahead of Illinois budget address

By Dylan Sharkey

02/18/2025

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s favorability is at exactly 50% ahead of his annual budget address, a chance to win over the 46% of voters with an unfavorable opinion of him. But based on his history of aggressive spending and taxation, what are the odds?

TAGS: budget, JB Pritzker

Gov. Pritzker hints no tax hikes or pension benefit spikes in 2026 state budget

By Dylan Sharkey, Patrick Andriesen

02/17/2025

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said raising taxes or hiking pension benefits are not first choices for in his fiscal year 2026 budget. The governor said Illinois needs to “live within our means in this state.”

TAGS: budget, JB Pritzker, taxes

Pritzker’s gas tax hike doubles yearly take to nearly $2B

By Patrick Andriesen

10/01/2024

Illinois drivers are expected to pay nearly $2 billion in state gas taxes by the end of the year, more than twice what they paid before Gov. J.B. Pritzker took office and doubled the tax. Pritzker’s tax hike took $4 billion extra from drivers between 2019 and 2023.

TAGS: gas tax, JB Pritzker