On June 16, Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Fiscal Year 2027 state budget into law, locking in a record-high $55.9 billion spending plan that continues Illinois’ troubling pattern of higher taxes, increased spending and misplaced priorities.
The budget, which takes effect July 1, was passed by Democratic lawmakers in the early morning hours on the final day of the legislative session. Despite repeated warnings from Senate Republicans about the state’s unsustainable spending habits and the continued burden on Illinois families and employers, the budget advanced without Republican support.
The record-spending budget includes hundreds of millions of dollars in new taxes and revenue increases. Since taking office, Governor Pritzker has grown state spending by 40 percent and has repeatedly relied on tax and fee increases to fund his spending plans. At a time when families are already struggling with rising costs, Senate Republicans argued the state should be focused on real, permanent tax relief rather than creating new revenue streams to support more government spending.
The signing also came after the Governor used his veto powers to eliminate over $500 billion in budgeting errors included in the massive spending plan, further highlighting concerns about the rushed and closed-door process used to push the budget through the General Assembly.
Senate Republicans have consistently called for a more responsible approach to budgeting that prioritizes affordability, economic growth, property tax relief, and long-term stability for Illinois taxpayers. Instead, what taxpayers are left with is more spending, more taxes, and fewer meaningful reforms.
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