Peoria Standard

State Sen. Win Stoller (R-Peoria) referred to Gov. J.B. Pritzker's State of the State and budget address Feb. 2 as “spiking the football” and was critical of the budget numbers laid out by the governor.

During his address, Pritzker highlighted Illinois job growth, rising wages, and the state’s COVID-19 response, and he laid out a $112.5 billion state budget. Of that number, $45.5 billion comes from federal funds.

Stoller was critical of the triumphant tone of Pritzker’s address, stating that there are still significant needs in the state that must be addressed.

“Listening to his address today, it felt to me he was spiking the football,” Stoller said. “It’s almost to me as if he was declaring ‘mission accomplished.’” 

Pritzker’s proposed budget would increase funding for K-12 schools and add nearly $900 million to the state’s “rainy day fund” in the next two years. 

Stoller was critical of the budget plan, saying it would add to the state’s debt burden.

“The reality is we still have the highest pension debt in the country, the worst credit rating of any state, inflation is raging, crime is out of control and last year 113,000 people left our state,” Stoller said. “We got this huge windfall this year fueled by the federal government, but we have not changed our underlying behavior. This budget increases spending by 2.5 billion. The revenue windfall is temporary. This behavior is what got us in this situation in the first place.”

Stoller accused Prtizker of using “election-year gimmicks” and said the state needs “true budget reform” and “permanent tax relief.”

Stoller also said that the budget plan would create spending that would outlast revenue streams, including COVID-19 funds provided by the federal government.