SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) offered the following comments after Governor Pat Quinn’s annual Budget Address on March 26.

“In 2010, my Republican colleagues and I warned that the Governor’s tax increase would never be used to pay bills or reduce our long-term debts and that the 67 percent income tax on individuals would never be temporary. Today, we were unfortunately proven right. Since then, more than $25 billion has flowed into Illinois coffers and the backlog of bills has been reduced by only $1 billion. Taxpayers are still on the hook for approximately $7 billion in back log of unpaid due bills,” Syverson said. “The 2011 tax increase will be made permanent thanks to Governor Quinn and his legislative friends. Illinois has a spending problem, the state is spending $10 billion more this year than just two years ago. Where is that money going to? The Governor says he wants to increase education funding by the largest amount ever yet over the last four years, with a $25 billion dollars of increased revenue he cut education funding by 8%. The last four years has shown you cannot tax your way into prosperity. What the Governor fails to understand is if he improved Illinois job climate, we could grow our way out of the malaise the state is in.”