Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Great Illinois The Spending Spree - February 2025

Yesterday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker delivered what Shia Kapos at Politico (screenshot below) described as a 'combined State of the State and Budget Address' to the Illinois General Assembly in Springfield.  

For the most part (and despite the early days of blogging being *in* politics), I have veer'd my blog into the [garden diary] lane and out of the [politics] lane.

But, I was struck by the moment this week in Illinois.  Shia's column (or newsletter) lead with Pritzker's speech and how MSNBC's Rachel Maddow was so inspired by Governor Pritzker's speech that she 'opened her show playing three minutes of it."

Screenshot of Politico Illinois newsletter about Pritzker's budget address

I am not a state budget expert (nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night), but I've read some of the coverage coming out of the speech and there's certainty some good news and some...well...not so good news.  At least for Illinois and Illinois taxpayers.

As someone who is being mentioned as having Presidential aspirations, it would appear that Governor Pritzker is utilizing this moment to appeal to some of his party's faithful (some...not all), crack a joke or two, fuel his exposure, appear to be (dare I say) somewhat moderate and open to less government and (I think) attempt to get-ahead and/or address some of his potential policy-oriented liabilities that might exist in the mind of a hypothetical 2028 electorate.  He is also building out his network in swing states like Wisconsin.

Listen...there's A LOT one could say about any politician and their budget - including Governor Pritzker.  But, I want to focus on one thing that *really* jumps out to me.    It is the spending.  

T H E

S P E N D I N G. 

Capitol Fax's Rich Miller highlighted this quote from Governor Pritzker and spending:

As always, I stand ready to work with members of the General Assembly to deliberate and negotiate the final budget. But let’s be clear, I will only sign a balanced budget. If you come to the table looking to spend more – I’m going to ask you where you want to cut. I have made difficult decisions – including to programs I have championed, which is hard for me, just as I know some of the difficult decisions you will have to make will be hard for you.

(emphasis, mine)

That's Governor Pritzker warning the legislators about increasing spending.  But, when you read much of the coverage, the biggest takeaway (at least for me) is that spending for the State of Illinois *is* going up.  

Pritzker's budget proposes to increase government spending by $2 Billion Dollars.  With a B.

Gov. JB Pritzker has proposed growing spending by about $2 billion without new income or service taxes in the upcoming fiscal year – though his administration acknowledged policy changes by the Trump administration could drastically alter the fiscal landscape.

Spending and revenues would each grow by about 3% under the proposal laid out Wednesday during the governor’s annual budget address, with total general revenue fund spending growing to $55.2 billion.

$2B more being spent by the State of Illinois compared to the previous year. That is $166,666,666.67 more per month.  Every month.  One Hundred and Sixty-Six Million per month.

That's $5,479,452.00 more per day.  Five million dollars of spending increase in one year for every day of the year.  Five million.  

That's a lot of taxpayer dollars, isn't it?

Is that part "inspirational"?  

It wouldn't take a policy expert to assume that the $55B *has* to be a record for spending for the State of Illinois.  $55 billion dollars.   

The folks at the Illinois Policy Institute have a post up showing¹ the State of Illinois budget spending over the years.  And, sure enough...they confirm that $55B is a record for State spending in Illinois.  But, their chart points out something far more, well.... serious.   Governor Pritzker was elected (by a WIDE MARGIN, I'll remind everyone) and inherited a state budget that was spending $39B in FY2019.  

$39B in FY2019.  And, a proposed $55B in FY2026.  

$16.7B increase in spending since Governor Pritzker took office.

Does anybody - and by that I mean ordinary, everyday voters here in Illinois - care?  

And what part of the government spending 40% more today than they did six years ago should we find "inspirational"?

Pritzker can run on a record of being "competent" and a professional executive.  And, Governor Pritzker, certaintly to my eye is engaged and seems to like being Governor for Illinois.  So, when you look past some of the idealogy-oriented actions, support, stunts and attacks, that part is true.   People can say:  "Hey...at least he's engaged and competent.  And seems to enjoy the job."

On the stump, Pritzker will tout that the State of Illinois credit ratings have increased multiple times (true) and that "new discretionary spending in this budget is increasing by less than 1%" (maybe true?) and that the State of Illinois is 'paying its bills on time' and paying down debt in ways we haven't done for years (true, I think).  I'm sure there are even more nuances to this budget that are relevant.  

But, NONE OF THAT obscures the fact that he's presided over a 40% increase in spending since he took office?  Not 10%.  Not even 20%.  But...40% more.  

Are we good with that, Illinois? 

Illinois continues to possess a number of significant, strategic advantages.  Our economy is diversified - with multiple industries finding a home here.  We have world-class universities - including the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana - that are graduating top-tier professional talent each year.  We are host to six of the seven "Class 1 railroads" and the world's most connected airport.  And, a world-class city that sits next to the largest body of fresh water on the planet.  

But, despite Governor Pritzker trying to play games with census data, Illinois is not...as they say..."on the move".  

If we were, then...we should be asking why we had twenty (20) congressional districts in 1998, yet we have just seventeen (17) today and some are predicting we'll have just sixteen (16) after the next remap.  

And, sure, thanks to remote work and other factors....it is convenient to say that "Corporate Headquarters aren't what they used to be".  Especially when you are losing one-after-another. 

Yes, Chicago will (hopefully) continue to do what it does well:  draw in young people from neighboring states.  You went to Michigan State?  Welcome to Lakeview, my friend.  You graduated from Iowa State?  Come on down to a three-flat off Armitage Avenue.  Why would you head to Des Moines or Grand Rapids after graduating?  Enjoy those salad days on the northside.  Then...either head out in the Toyota Sienna to the suburbs.  Or, go back home to suburban Detroit or Ames.

But, what happens when white collar jobs disappear in Chicago?   What happens when the property taxes in the suburbs are so high that families can't stay in their own houses?   What happens when state spending continues to climb and there's no more 'tricks' that can be played in the budget spreadsheets.  

They'll come for more money.  Because they can't help themselves.  They can't seem to stop spending.  

And, I fear that it might never stop.  

Maybe it doesn't matter.  I mean...Governor Pritzker beat his opponent by more than 12 percentage points and received 55% of the statewide vote (after...quite SHAMEFULLY suggesting that 'democracy is at risk' all the while propping up an election denier in the ILGOP primary).   

Perhaps, this is what the voters of Illinois want?  More and more spending?  

Sadly, I have to wonder: Does it even matter?  Does spending $16.7B more this year than the state was spending just six years ago MATTER???  I mean...the folks in Washington are addicted to spending, too.   This isn't isolated to Illinois.

It appears that the State of Illinois spending MIGHT BE similar to the universe.  The "Big Bang" kicked off an ever-expanding universe.    

One could say that COVID was the "Budget Big Bang" (and came with a bunch of "found, free money") and the government spending will continue to expand and grow - potentially accelerating.    And then one day...it will collapse on itself.   

I sure hope not.  I'm here and we want to stay in Illinois.   

We see a life in the place "where we are from".  

I fear my kids won't see the same thing.

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^{1. [It would be easy to dismiss IPI as simply a partisan organization based on what some say about them, but when it comes to dollars and cents, it might be worth reading what they are saying on the budget.]↩}