Illinoisans will pay more for gas, vehicle registration, cigarettes and parking after a bipartisan vote for $45 billion in new capital spending.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker will not selectively hand out infrastructure projects as a way to buy support for proposals to increase taxes and fees, should he stick to his word.

Illinois can do it the old way and raise taxes to deliver pork projects. Or Illinois can be smart and make each tax dollar work hard to deliver projects that help residents and the economy.

Pritzker’s first budget address exalted the graduated income tax as a solution to the state’s fiscal problems. Despite evidence to the contrary, the governor is urging state lawmakers to speedily advance the measure.

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.

Illinois families deserve better than to be told the only real solution is in their pocketbooks.

Political promises aren’t much protection for middle class pocketbooks.