State Representative Ryan Spain gave the following statement in response to the FY 27 State Budget passed around 4:00am following the midnight May 31 Deadline.
“I opposed this year’s largest-in-history state budget, which only provided pennies in relief while delivering undeserved pay raises for politicians worth thousands. This budget continues funding for misplaced priorities like healthcare for illegal immigrants and it punts fixing downstate road fund raids until summer,” said Deputy Republican Leader Ryan Spain, a House Republican Budgeteer. “That being said, Illinois House Democrats were more open than past years about the annual spending plan but communicating earlier would have saved millions of dollars by incorporating Republican ideas which enjoy popular support like no tax on tips and overtime, as well as real gas price relief.”
Illinoisans pay the highest combined state and local tax rate in the country, according to WalletHub. Illinois’ burden is driven by property, sales and excise taxes that exceed national averages and those in neighboring states.
In an effort to provide desperately needed relief to Illinois taxpayers this Spring, Deputy Republican Leader Ryan Spain filed House Bill 5738 on April 2 for Gas Price Relief. Spain filed House Bill 1383 for No Tax on Tips this Spring and Spain filed House Bill 5782 to reject politician pay hikes. None of those measures were allowed a House hearing during the Spring Session of the Illinois General Assembly.
Rep. Spain proudly serves the people of the 73rd District.