Rose Takes Issue w/Governor's Budget Proposal

Local State Senator Chapin Rose is taking issue with the budget proposed for the coming fiscal year by Governor Pritzker.

Rose takes issue with the governor's efforts to make Illinois a sanctuary state. Pritzker's budget blueprint includes $1 billion in proposed spending on housing, healthcare and other immigrant-related costs. Rose suggests there's a correlation between the proposed increase in taxes in the budget and the amount to be spent on immigrant needs.

Rose said Eastern Illinois University is to receive $2.3 million less than requested, the University of Illinois is to receive $70 million less than requested. Those are percentage cuts of 4.56% for EIU and 9% for the U of I. 

Rose also said the State is $500 million behind in funding developmentally and intellectually disabled citizens, and says that number will rise to at least $630 million in the coming fiscal year.

The budget proposal, Rose said, would also transfer $175 million from local road funds to the Chicago Regional Transit Authority.

Rose alleges the $1 billion planned for immigrant spending "would have gone a long way to alleviate the above". He agreed with the governor in the elimination of the grocery tax, but the effect of the various tax increases is like "putting $1 in your left pocket, while taking $2 out of your right pocket."