Gov. Pritzker Excited About Legislation That Pays Down Some State Debts

Governor JB Pritzker is celebrating passage of legislation that pays down some significant state debts.

Senate Bill 2803 passed out of Senate and House along a partisan roll call and is now headed to the Governor’s desk.

“By following through on our commitments to dedicate one time revenues to one time cost or liabilities, we are delivering Illinoisan’s a stronger budget and a stronger state for years to come” says Pritzker.

The bulk of the money, $2.7-billion, will help replenish the unemployment insurance trust fund.  It was depleted paying out benefits during the pandemic.  Governor Pritzker says the bill also takes care of other state debt and funds the remaining College Illinois Tuition contracts.

Republicans are critical of the bill, including State Senator Darin Bailey. “Our state is notorious for the way it manages money and today’s vote is proof that there is no change in sight. Instead of doing the responsible thing to pay our unemployment backlog bill in full with COVID relief dollars from the feds, Illinoisans are now on the hook for what could be the largest tax hike in our state’s history. I will not stand by and allow our government to tell workers in this state, taxpayers in this state, that they have to pay the price for the reckless, unaccountable actions of their irresponsible elected leaders.”

Repiblicans note that the late additions in the bill, including roughly $1.4 billion of the state’s General Revenue Fund for paying old health insurance bills, a $300 million boost to pension payments, and paying more than $200 million in College Illinois debt, were positive proposals that could have easily gained bipartisan support if they had not been lumped with the shortchanging of the unemployment insurance trust fund.