SPRINGFIELD – State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) released the following statement after Gov. J. B. Pritzker delivered his Budget Address to a joint session of legislators Feb. 2 via a virtual broadcast from the Old State Capitol.

“Gov. Pritzker tried to present the events of last year in a pretty package of what he claims are his Administration’s successes, but many questions remain that he did not address. The main problem is that Illinoisans have lost trust in their government. Claiming budget success when federal tax dollars have poured into our state is disingenuous. It’s more of the same misdirection our state is infamous for.

The reality is Illinois is marked with corruption charges and dysfunctional agencies run by Gov. Pritzker. Illinoisans no longer believe that their government is looking out for them. Unemployment checks to eligible Illinoisans were denied while checks were sent to ineligible applicants. Prisoners received life-saving vaccines ahead of those with pre-existing conditions. Democrat politicians gerrymandered legislative, Congressional and court maps, weakening the power of voters to choose their own lawmakers and judges.

What Illinois needs is long-term tax relief and structural reforms, not one-time, election-year gimmicks.”

As the legislative budget process gets under way, Tracy says she stands ready to work with her fellow lawmakers to make the tough decisions necessary to pass a balanced budget with structural reforms that will boost the economy and jobs.

Fiscal Year 2023 runs from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023.