Following the passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 Illinois budget, a $55.2 billion budget that increases state spending by $2 billion more than last year and includes $1 billion in tax hikes, Deputy House Minority Leader Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) released the following statement:
“Our state has been in an uncertain financial position for decades, thanks to years and years of financial malfeasance at the hands of the Democratic majority, who have maintained their artificial majority thanks to some of the worst gerrymandering in the entire country. So, it doesn’t surprise me that Democrats again violated their own House Rules to ram through the near-largest spending plan in state history that robs the road fund to pay for standard operating expenses, gives legislators another pay rise, diverts funds meant for property tax relief and slaps the people of the state of Illinois with $1 billion in tax hikes.
“This budget doubles down on years of failed economic strategy that has caused our state to fall behind all our neighbors. The people of the state of Illinois deserve better from their government.”