State spending has grown nearly 50 percent faster than Illinoisans’ incomes during the past decade. State Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, has proposed a constitutional spending cap that offers a long-term solution to the state’s budgetary problems.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said his first year deficit is $3.2 billion, but he intends to spend hundreds of millions more than planned under previous baseline budgeting.

A spending cap proposal filed by state Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, would ensure growth in government spending doesn’t exceed taxpayers’ ability to pay for it.

The Land of Lincoln has a new governor, but the state’s deep-seated problems remain. Here are five reforms that newly inaugurated Gov. J.B. Pritzker could pursue to begin setting the state on the right fiscal path.

In 2018, Springfield handed Illinoisans more of the same repackaged policy failures. Lawmakers in the coming year should tape to their desks this wish list of taxpayer-friendly reforms.

Over half of survey respondents have considered leaving Illinois, citing dysfunctional government, disappointing job opportunities and – above all – high taxes.