Will County Gazette

Sen. John Curran (R-Lemont) said Gov. J.B. Pritzker's latest budget proposal is filled with reckless spending.

“Two years ago, the Governor and the Democratic Majority proposed the largest tax increase in Illinois history," Curran said on his website. "The voters soundly rejected it. Last year, the Democratic Majority added another $4 billion in spending on top of the Governor’s proposed budget. This year, the Governor’s proposal seeks to build upon that spending. We must heed the warnings of Comptroller Mendoza and be disciplined in our fiscal approach at a time when we are likely to experience a recession."

As part of his Smart Start Illinois plan delivered in Springfield, Pritzker called for access to preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds by increasing funding for the Early Childhood Block Grant program by $75 million. "In the first year alone, 5,000 more seats will be available for children across the state."

With his newly proposed budget set to cover the 2024 fiscal year that begins on July 1, Pritzker said that the state's short-term and medium-term liabilities have been eliminated and called for an additional $200 million to the pension stabilization fund.

“We’ve achieved our state’s strongest fiscal position in generations, and we prioritized the education, public safety, health, and welfare of the residents of Illinois,” Pritzker said, according to Chalkbeat Chicago.

The budget also includes $100 million to build facilities to house the expanded education programs. There's $70 million to expand participation in childcare for parents who need to work or attend school by increasing the income threshold, and $20 million to revamp the provider-payment system.