St. Rep-Elect Niemerg w/Thoughts on Governor's Need to Lead

This is an Op/Ed piece contributed by St. Rep.-Elect Adam Niemerg, who discusses what he sees as Governor J.B. Pritzker's need to lead.

"Even with the state in near insolvency, Governor JB Pritzker remains defiant in his opposition to reforms that could address the state’s financial crisis and put us back on the road to financial stability.

Instead, he is lashing out at Republicans and blaming them for the defeat of the progressive income tax. According to the Governor, it is up to Republicans to come up with ways to cut the budget because they had the audacity to defeat the progressive income tax.

First, the defeat of the progressive income tax was bipartisan. President Donald Trump received 2,446,891 votes on Nov. 3rd. There were nearly 2.7 million votes against the progressive tax. Clearly, opposition to the progressive income tax was more than just Republicans.

Second, our state Constitution requires the Governor to propose the state budget. Article VIII Section 2 (a) of the Illinois Constitution states: “The Governor shall prepare and submit to the General Assembly, at a time prescribed by law, a State budget for the ensuing fiscal year.”

It is not the job of the State Legislature to propose a budget. That responsibility lies with the Governor. The Illinois State Constitution gives the Governor tremendous authority when it comes to the state budget.

But if the Governor is dead set on getting ideas from Republicans on how to cut the budget, then I have a suggestion. One area that could be cut is state funding for abortions. Under Gov. Pritzker’s watch, taxpayer funded abortions have been expanded and as a result the number of abortions has increased 7 percent.

The reality is that state funded abortions won’t solve the budget crisis. Not even close. But if the Governor wants help from Republicans in identifying ways to cut the budget, he should use his line-item veto authority to stop state funding of abortions. Not a single Republican supported legislation expanding taxpayer funded abortions in Illinois. Ending taxpayer funded abortions would show that the Governor is willing to work with Republicans and accept some of our priorities.

Of course, the Governor will not agree to ending state funding for abortion. The Governor has no intention of really working with Republicans on solving the budget crisis. His temper tantrum is just a political stunt to focus the attention away from his dismal record. It is not the fault of Republicans that the Governor has added $2 billion in spending in each of the two budgets he has signed into law. It is not the fault of Republicans that he signed two budgets into law that were based on revenue from tax increases voters did not approve.

It is also not the fault of Republicans that the Governor continues to ignore the need for reforms such as pension reform. The Governor in his last budget address made it clear that he had no intention of making pension reform a priority.

About 25 percent of state revenue goes to pensions. The single best way to get our budget under control would be pension reform. Pension costs are out of control and will only get worse with future retirements and yet the Governor and the majority party in the House and the Senate have no intention of enacting any reforms.

Voters went to the polls on Nov. 3rd and rejected the progressive income tax because they are tired of career politicians raising their taxes while ignoring the structural problems that are at the heart of the state’s financial problems. Instead of bashing his political opponents, the Governor should be focused on implementing the reforms we need to get our state on stronger financial footing.

Unfortunately, we won’t get pension reform or any of the reforms our state needs, but what we will get this spring is one tax hike proposal after another because raising taxes is the only play the Governor and the leaders in the House and the Senate have in their playbook. Taxpayer may have won a victory on Nov. 3rd, but we all better buckle up because more tax hike battles are ahead."