SPRINGFIELD – State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley) says Gov. JB Pritzker’s focus must shift from the national spotlight back to the State Capitol and the tough decisions needed to help hard-working Illinoisans and their families.
In his annual Budget Address to a joint session of legislators Feb. 19, the Governor announced a $55.4 billion spending plan – the state’s largest budget ever, representing a 37 percent increase since the current Administration took office in 2019.
“The Governor continues to focus on national spotlight issues, such as free healthcare, housing, and social services for non-citizens, regardless of costs. His priorities should be Illinois families and hard-working citizens,” Syverson said. “Good leadership is about putting the people before yourself. Focus on the job you have and not the job you want.”
Sen. Syverson said he is pleased that after years of Republican legislative pressure, Gov. Pritzker appears to be addressing the need to cut spending levels on illegal immigrant healthcare.
“For years Gov. Pritzker has made non-citizen programs a priority over tackling the financial and public safety crises facing Illinoisans, with very few details about where it was spent. From what we can actually verify, we estimate the state has spent a total of $3.3 billion from FY21 through FY25 on non-citizen welfare programs,” Syverson said. “It does appear that the Governor has heard our concerns as he says he’ll roll some noncitizen healthcare costs back. We will continue to hold him accountable because Illinoisans deserve leaders who put their needs first — not empty promises.”
As the legislative budget process gets under way, Sen. Syverson says his focus will remain on the citizens of Illinois, and he will continue to work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to make the tough decisions necessary to pass a balanced budget with structural reforms that will boost the economy and jobs.
“In his speech, the Governor said our state has one of the strongest economies in the nation, but he did not mention that Illinois is also a leading state in out-migration,” Syverson said. “And if our economy is one of the strongest, why is the Governor saying the state’s 2026 forecast projects a 1.9% increase in revenue growth?”
Fiscal Year 2026 runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.