SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch released the following statement on Governor Pritzker’s State of the State and Budget Address.
“We are encouraged that to be on a path towards fiscal stabilization, it is important we understand the context of Illinois’ fiscal situation. We support the Governor’s efforts to move Illinois from the 49th worst funded public pension system but there is much work to be done to achieve this modest goal and policies that grow our economy are essential to success.”
“We support the Governor’s proposals that will temporarily lessen the tax burden on Illinois taxpayers, but we believe that his proposed array of tax cuts needs to be revised. Of greatest concern is the Governor’s call to disregard a bipartisan commitment to adequately fund our vital transportation infrastructure. We join our friends in labor in expressing our concern that the Governor’s proposal on the gas tax is an end run around the transportation lockbox amendment.
We are encouraged with the Governor’s confidence in our fiscal future, but his current tax proposals run the risk of being viewed as a one-time election year gimmick.
We hope the administration and the legislature will demonstrate a longer-term commitment to tax relief by enacting the maximum amount of property tax relief that the state can afford over a period of the next five years.”