{"id":39373,"date":"2026-05-29T11:20:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T16:20:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thexradio.com\/news\/?p=39373"},"modified":"2026-05-29T11:20:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T16:20:23","slug":"heading-to-finish-line-for-illinois-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thexradio.com\/news\/local-news\/39373-heading-to-finish-line-for-illinois-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Heading to Finish Line for Illinois Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"pdfprnt-buttons pdfprnt-buttons-post pdfprnt-top-right\"><a href=\"javascript: window.print()\" class=\"pdfprnt-button pdfprnt-button-print\" target=\"_self\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thexradio.com\/news\/wp-content\/plugins\/pdf-print\/images\/print.png\" alt=\"image_print\" title=\"Print Content\" \/><span class=\"pdfprnt-button-title pdfprnt-button-print-title\">Print<\/span><\/a><\/div><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Republicans call for lower spending and taxes as progressive Dems seek new revenue<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By BEN SZALINSKI<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Capitol News Illinois<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"mailto:bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Article Summary<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Final budget details are still being negotiated behind closed doors with the scheduled adjournment of the legislative session just days away.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Progressive lawmakers are still calling on lawmakers to add or increase taxes on certain businesses and billionaires, while the GOP still wants to see budget cuts and flat spending.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They\u2019ll need to plug a projected $150 million budget hole for the current year.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gov. JB Pritzker said it&#8217;s possible that the budget will pause the scheduled annual increase to the motor fuel tax of less than 2 cents.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This summary was written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SPRINGFIELD \u2014 Illinois lawmakers are days away from passing a roughly $56 billion fiscal year 2027 budget, but many are still fighting to have their priorities included as negotiations near the end.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Republicans want to reduce the size of the budget and lower taxes, while some Democrats are seeking more taxes on businesses and billionaires. Others are looking to maintain state programs, fearing future budget holes and social service cuts in the coming years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The budget became more complicated earlier this month when analysts for the General Assembly and Gov. JB Pritzker\u2019s budget office lowered revenue projections for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1. The revisions by the governor\u2019s office revealed a $149 million gap between what Pritzker proposed spending and the amount of revenue the state will have to support it \u2014 and that includes $728 million in new taxes and revenue changes proposed by the governor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though the clock is ticking toward the Sunday night deadline, negotiations over the final product are still happening behind the scenes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Read more: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/capitolnewsillinois.com\/news\/illinois-budget-picture-tightens-in-final-stretch-amid-economic-uncertainty\/\"><b>Illinois budget picture tightens in federal stretch amid economic uncertainty<\/b><\/a><b> | <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/capitolnewsillinois.com\/news\/illinois-legislators-gear-up-for-final-budget-talks\/\"><b>Illinois legislators gear up for final budget talks<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhen we look at Springfield, a week can be a month and a day can be a week,\u201d Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, said at a news conference on Wednesday. \u201cAnd so a lot can happen and a lot of conversations can happen, but I can say, you know, my guess is this is going to be a tight vote and a tight conversation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Gas tax<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gas prices have topped $5 per gallon in parts of the state, and some lawmakers are calling for a temporary reduction in motor fuel tax to provide relief to drivers. Pritzker suggested on Tuesday that lawmakers could suspend the automatic gas tax increase of about 2 cents per gallon that happens annually on July 1.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe for sure should be looking at what we can do to diminish the impact of high gas prices,\u201d Pritzker told reporters in Champaign<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He cautioned that lawmakers must consider how pausing the increase would impact road construction in the state, which is funded by the gas tax. But he said, \u201cwe have enough here so that we could make some sort of pause.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/illinoiscomptroller.gov\/financial-reports-data\/data-sets-portals\/fund-search\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Road Fund<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> had about $4.2 billion as of Wednesday, according to the comptroller\u2019s office. Lawmakers also suspended the inflationary increase to the gas tax in 2022 for six months during a period of high inflation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Relief for drivers would likely be minimal, however. The tax is set to increase by less than 2 cents per gallon on July 1 to about 50 cents per gallon, according to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tax.illinois.gov\/research\/taxrates\/motorfuel.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Department of Revenue<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Republicans are pushing for suspending the sales tax on motor fuel sales, which they argue amounts to double taxation at the pump when combined with the gas tax and would provide greater relief to drivers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;The governor has a real initiative that he could show \u2018I care about the cost\u2019 by freezing the sales tax and he hasn\u2019t done that yet,\u201d House Republican Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, told Capitol News Illinois.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">McCombie suggested the large balance in the Road Fund should be used to fund public transportation if the sales tax on gas is suspended. That sales tax largely funds public transportation beginning this year and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/capitolnewsillinois.com\/news\/lawmakers-approve-1-5b-transit-funding-package-without-statewide-tax-increases\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">closed significant budget gaps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for that service.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIf there is an account in government that has exceeded their expectations, the money should go back to taxpayers and this is a way for that to happen,&#8221; she said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Digital ad tax<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But many Democrats want to raise upwards of $4 billion in new revenue through tax hikes and eliminating tax credits for job creation. One idea that nearly made it into the budget last year and could have momentum this year is a tax on businesses\u2019 digital advertising revenue that proponents say would generate more than $700 million.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Business leaders warn such a tax will hurt small businesses, which rely on digital advertising to reach consumers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe understand the need to close budget gaps, but a digital ad tax would make it harder and more expensive for businesses to use digital and social media ads to find customers, sell products, and grow their companies,\u201d Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce CEO Jack Lavin said in a statement. \u201cThe big tech companies aren\u2019t the ones who are going to be hurt by this.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rep. Norma Hernandez, D-Melrose Park, disputed that characterization as her bill would only tax profits from digital ads over $150 million.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis is not a tax on small businesses; this is not a tax on working people,\u201d she said at a news conference. \u201cThis is a proposal focused on the largest tech corporations. Corporations making enormous profits off our personal data, our online activity and targeted advertising generated from Illinois residents.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">None of the $4 billion worth of progressive revenue ideas were part of Pritzker\u2019s budget, although he did propose a $200 million tax on social media companies based on the number of users the platforms have in the state.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No Democratic lawmakers at Wednesday\u2019s news conference said their budget vote would be contingent upon the new revenue streams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThere is one vote that each one of us in this chamber have,\u201d Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, said. \u201cWe each have a button and we will make the decision individually.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Future years<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One reason many Democrats are advocating for tax increases now is because more significant budget challenges are on the horizon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The state could face a deficit up to $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2028 under current taxing and spending policies, according to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/budget.illinois.gov\/content\/dam\/soi\/en\/web\/budget\/documents\/economic-and-fiscal-policy-reports\/HR%201%20Federal%20Impact%20-%205%20Year%20Report%20Update%202.6.26.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">February data from the governor\u2019s office<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Much of that is driven by changes from Washington that reduce social services or pass costs for those programs to the states.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIn Washington, we just decided to cut Medicaid by a trillion dollars &#8230; over the next five years, so we\u2019re not making it any easier for you as members of the legislature,\u201d U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said in an address to the General Assembly on Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many Democrats hope the state can fill some of those social service gaps and say that\u2019s why more revenue is needed now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe think it\u2019s unacceptable to sit on our hands and not begin to make progress to change our unfair tax system at a time where were being attacked by the federal government and at a time where the cost of living is choking families,\u201d Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, told Capitol News Illinois. \u201cWe can\u2019t wait to start to bring in progressive revenue.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Democrats are also getting pressure from outside groups.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHow do you close the deficit? You tax the rich,\u201d Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jackson Potter said at Wednesday\u2019s news conference.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Senate Republicans pushed back on the notation that the state needs more money.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhere does it end? How much more do you need? When does it stop?\u201d Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, said in response.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Republicans want less spending, taxes<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Senate Republicans have been involved in \u201camicable and courteous\u201d conversations, Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, told reporters on Wednesday. But he\u2019s worried they\u2019ll shortly get locked out of negotiations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIf history is any guide, Republicans will not see the thousands of pages of final budget language until late on the final day or during the overnight hours of May 31,\u201d DeWitte said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">McCombie would also like to see less spending and lower taxes. She said her House GOP caucus has only been briefly part of high-level budget talks with Democratic counterparts. She said the Democrats\u2019 calls for new taxes flies in the face of their <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/capitolnewsillinois.com\/news\/illinois-lawmakers-2026-theme-affordability\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">promises<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of pushing legislation this spring to make life more affordable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt&#8217;s really quite amazing when they talk about affordability,\u201d she said. \u201cIt&#8217;s not affordable for people in Chicago. And that&#8217;s one of the things about increasing the size of government, because they want people to rely on government, and it&#8217;s not sustainable that way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Republicans also want more financial help for local governments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe can&#8217;t continue to try to fund our way through weed and gaming in local municipalities,\u201d McCombie said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/capitolnewsillinois.com\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Capitol News Illinois<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Republicans call for lower spending and taxes as progressive Dems seek new revenue By BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary Final budget details are still being negotiated behind [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":15391,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39373","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Heading to Finish Line for Illinois Budget - Effingham&#039;s News and Sports Leader, 979XFM and KJ Country 102.3<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Effingham&#039;s News and Sports Leader\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thexradio.com\/news\/local-news\/39373-heading-to-finish-line-for-illinois-budget\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Heading to Finish Line for Illinois Budget - 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