From State Senator Dan McConchie:

McConchie statement on end of session

SPRINGFIELD – Senator Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) offered the following comments as the Illinois Senate wrapped up its Spring 2020 session.

“You can’t make this stuff up.

“Democrats in the Illinois legislature once again refuse to block their automatic pay raises [about $1800 per year], even in the midst of this pandemic.

“This at the same time that 1 million people are out of work. The unemployment rate is 16.4% – the worst since the Great Depression.

“Governor Pritzker continues to modify and extend his pandemic lockdown, killing businesses and decimating the economic lives of countless individuals.

“Due to the lockdown, state revenues are expected to drop a staggering $3 billion next year.

“Did we cut spending?

“Nope.

“Instead, we’re spending $1 billion more than last year.

“The budget includes a lot of new pork projects, but the legislature couldn’t seem to find new money for schools.

“To pay for it all, we’re going to borrow up to $5 billion from the Federal Reserve and pray for a bailout from Washington, D.C.

“And despite public outcry over the lack of legislative oversight of Pritzker’s continuous emergency orders, not only does the legislature not step in, they are actually providing Pritzker with even broader authority to spend taxpayer dollars without appropriate oversight and accountability.

“Instead of taking responsibility and helping govern the state through the current crisis, the legislature turned tail and ran.

“But not before allowing their automatic pay increases to continue as their reward for their hard work.

“And all of it done in the dark of night.

“Ridiculous. Completely ridiculous.”