SPRINGFIELD– State Senator Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) on Wednesday, responded to Governor Pat Quinn’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget proposal. Quinn presented his budget to a joint session of the General Assembly Wednesday afternoon.

“Frankly, I’m very disappointed in the Governor’s approach,” said Senator Syverson. “He has slated hundreds of millions of dollars to cuts to schools, services, and transportation while increasing state spending by $1.2 billion.”

While taking in more taxpayer money than ever before, Governor Quinn’s budget gives schools and universities the biggest hits in funding, while doing nothing to address an out of control backlog of bills totaling $9.5 billion.

“When the Governor forced through a tax increase a little more than two years ago, it was sold as a tool to pay down unpaid bills,” said Senator Syverson. “Since that time, the state’s bill backlog has risen by $1.6 billion.”

“Instead of managing the state’s budget, and controlling spending, Governor Quinn has failed to show leadership in every facet of state government,” said Syverson. “Instead, he has decided to inflict maximum pain to local school districts in an effort to scare the public into supporting even more tax revenue.”

Meanwhile, Senator Syverson says Governor Quinn’s attitude for fixing the state’s budget mess is ill-advised. “We have to focus our efforts on making Illinois an attractive place for employers to locate and create new jobs,” said the Senator. “Instead, the Governor seems to believe we can tax and spend our way to prosperity. That tax concept has not worked in any state that it was tried. However if we improve jobs climate like other states have done we could have unprecedented growth”  

Senator Syverson says he hopes the legislature takes leadership to help create jobs, control spending, and pay down the state’s backlog of unpaid bills.  If that happens Illinois’ future can be bright.