SPRINGFIELD – Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) offered the following response to the Governor’s 2023 Budget Address:

“Two years ago, the Governor and the Democratic Majority proposed the largest tax increase in Illinois history. The voters soundly rejected it. Last year, the Democratic Majority added another $4 billion in spending on top of the Governor’s proposed budget. This year, the Governor’s proposal seeks to build upon that spending. We must heed the warnings of Comptroller Mendoza and be disciplined in our fiscal approach at a time when we are likely to experience a recession. We must stop the Democratic Majority from spending us into a tax increase. 

“That said, there are some opportunities to work together – especially on providing more access to early childhood education and childcare. However, I would like to see a greater prioritization for our developmentally disabled communities that continue to be massively underfunded.

“I look forward to working with the Governor and other leaders to share the Senate Republican priorities of creating more opportunities for Illinois families and businesses, funding public safety, and implementing structural reforms to ensure a more stable and prosperous Illinois.”