SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Representative Charlie Meier (R-Okawville) is one of many Illinois lawmakers who have expressed deep concerns with the proposed Illinois Fiscal Year 2025 Budget finalized late Friday evening when the House was originally set to adjourn. Within the newly proposed set of appropriations are increased taxes on sportsbooks, decreased tax discounts for retail businesses, and a total cost increase of close to $1 billion. Rep. Meier, who has harked upon the need for more responsible spending during his time in the General Assembly, expressed several concerns with the proposed budget’s more than 3,000 pages of text and $53.1 billion total price tag.
“This incomplete and overpriced budget missed its deadline by five days and still misses the mark in a variety of ways,” said Rep. Meier. “House and Senate Republicans were left in the dark once again when it came to details within the budget proposal and were not brought to the table nearly enough during the process.”
Rep. Meier offered up a number of reasons for his “no” vote on the budget, which include pay raises for politicians and hundreds of millions in funding for Democratic pork barrel projects. He also highlighted the billions of dollars in subsidies that will be shelled out over the next three years to failed sanctuary state policies, which have already cost taxpayers close to $3 billion since the beginning of the 2022 Fiscal Year.
“This budget was written to support state Democrats and their one-sided agenda, not the people that make up the state of Illinois, and certainly not the millions of them who are served by Republican legislators,” said Meier. “The FY25 budget includes hundreds of millions of dollars in projects that do nothing more than serve the districts of Democrat legislators. It continues to shell out close to $1 billion in subsidies for failed sanctuary state policies. But it does nothing for the Illinoisans in Republican districts who need funding just as much as those in Democratic districts. We have to begin spending wisely and funding successful initiatives that benefit ALL Illinois residents, not costly partisan projects that ignore our most pressing issues.”
One positive within the FY25 budget is the permanent elimination of the 1% state grocery tax. Rep. Meier says that with grocery bills and combined inflation at near-all-time-highs, Illinois families need this kind of tax break.
“Not often under this dome do we have the chance to permanently end a tax on Illinois residents, especially a tax that affects the everyday lives of families,” said Meier. “This provision gives working individuals and families a break on their grocery bill. Our residents deserve this relief.”
After days of delays and disagreements within the Democratic caucuses, the FY25 budget passed the Illinois House of Representatives with a vote of 065-045-000.
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State Representative Charlie Meier represents the 109th District which includes portions of Bond, Clinton, Madison, St. Clair, and Washington counties. For more information, please visit CharlieMeier.net or contact Rep. Meier’s district office at 618-651-0405