Budget deadline approaches, revenue still running short
Five years ago, the Illinois state budget was $40 billion. Last year the state set a new spending record of $53 billion, and this year Governor Pritzker proposes to break that record again, with a $55 billion spending bill.
But with just two weeks before the scheduled end of the spring session, and the deadline to pass a state budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the Governor’s own budget office reported to a House committee that the state is $500 million short of the amount of revenue they projected when they made their budget proposal.
The information on the shortfall from the Governor’s office confirms months of warnings from the General Assembly’s non-partisan budget agency that the state was going to have less revenue than expected. With only a few days of scheduled session remaining, we now have a choice: rein in the new spending and the spending increases in the budget proposal so that it fits within the amount of tax revenue the state will have available, or continue the self-destructive pattern of increasing spending and raising taxes to pay for it.
We need to change course, make the right decision, and choose to live within our means.
Bill to update auctioneer license law passes House This week the House passed a bill I am sponsoring to update state laws governing auctions.
Senate Bill 2351, which was carried in the Senate by Senator Mike Halpin, amends the Auction License Act. It modernizes the state law governing auctions by adding internet promotions to the advertisement side of the law as well as bringing some other definitions up to date.
The bill was the idea of the Illinois State Auctioneers’ Association. It passed the House 113-0 and the Senate 56-0. It is now on its way to the Governor’s desk for his signature.
State Representative Dan Swanson • 275 N. Division St. • Woodhull, IL 61490 • (309) 334-7474
