Quincy Reporter

Illinois State Rep. Randy Frese (R-Quincy) recently voiced his concern about the proposed budget that Gov. JB Pritzker was going to sign.

In February of this year, Frese was critical of the governor's budget address, accusing him of basing the budget on inaccurate predictions of the state's finances, a release from the Quincy Reporter said. 

"It's appropriate that today's budget address was delivered on Groundhog Day because, like the movie, it was a bit like living the same day over again," Frese said in a February press release from his office. "Once again we heard a budget plan based on a rosy picture of our state's finances that isn't really honest. The Governor failed to mention that slight improvements in our financial picture are temporary. They are the result of a massive federal bailout and increased taxpayer burdens due to rising inflation — NOT responsible financial policies from his administration."

The budget would include $45 billion from the state's revenue fund, the Quincy Reporter release said.

"What’s more, we're now into year three of business closures from failed COVID mandates, violent crime is on the rise due to anti-police policies he signed into law last year, and we're still looking for answers and solutions to protect our veterans in the state's care at our Veterans' Homes," Frese said in the press release. "Once again, there was no realistic plan to address the long-term structural issues that are holding our state back. Welcome to Groundhog Day in Illinois."

Frese isn't the only one who has been critical of the budget document that was passed by the General Assembly. Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) has expressed concern as well.

"Republican legislative leaders have for months offered plans that would have provided more permanent tax relief for taxpayers, not just election-year temporary tax relief gimmicks; however, Democrat budgeteers did not include any of those ideas in their $46.5 billion spending plan," Tracy said in a separate Quincy Reporter release.