McLean County Times

The Governor has signed a $53.1 billion spending bill into law, marking the largest budget in Illinois history. This year’s budget exceeds last year's by $2.6 billion and necessitated a $1 billion tax increase. In 2020, the state budget was $40 billion.

The new budget, effective July 1, allocates $1 billion for non-citizens and includes funds for another pay raise for politicians. The bill faced opposition from every Republican and some Democrats.

Bills aimed at lowering the tax burden on Illinois residents did not progress to hearings or votes. "It seemed like the majority was determined from day one to jam through more taxes and more spending," stated Rep. Bunting. He criticized the failure to pass estate tax relief for farmers and small businesses while providing tax breaks for Hollywood producers.

A Sangamon County judge recently blocked changes to Illinois' election law, which were passed rapidly and altered ballot-access rules during an election year. Judge Gail Noll ruled that such changes could be made effective for future elections but not during the current cycle.

Despite these challenges, there was positive news from the Capitol with the passage of Senate Bill 2907, co-sponsored by Rep. Bunting. The Job Training and Workforce Development Transparency Act aims to enhance workforce training programs' effectiveness and transparency in Illinois.

Rep. Bunting also reported on his visit to Incobrasa in Gilman, a soybean processing and biodiesel manufacturing company investing over $250 million in expansion efforts that will create 40 new full-time jobs and retain 200 jobs by 2030.

Currently, Illinois has a backlog of unpaid bills totaling approximately $1 billion, excluding unfunded debts like pension liabilities exceeding $100 billion.

Recent headlines include warnings from the Illinois Housing Development Authority about online scams, sentencing of a former DCFS worker involved in AJ Freund's care to six months in jail, dairy farmers donating milk to food banks, announcements from the Illinois Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductees, and Route 66 memories sought by the Illinois State Museum for its centennial celebration.

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