From State Senator Don DeWitte:

DeWitte Criticizes Democrats’ Budget

On Thursday night, the Senate approved a Fiscal Year 2024 budget that spends over $50 billion. After receiving bipartisan opposition, State Senator Don DeWitte, who voted against the budget, issued the following statement:

“Republicans brought some very important priorities to the negotiation table this year.

“We wanted to support our manufacturers, our corporations, and the small businesses that provide jobs to millions of Illinoisans.

“Through our priorities we wanted to grow jobs in this state so people could earn a good wage, have benefits, and put good food on their tables.

“Unfortunately, our policy initiatives, like the elimination of the estate tax, which would help generational farming families, didn’t make the budget.

“Our Research & Development tax credits, which would provide opportunities for existing businesses to invest in new product development, so they could create more jobs with good wages and benefits, also wasn’t included.

“A thriving economy depends on a robust business community, and this budget misses the mark.

“There is not one legislator in the General Assembly who didn’t hear from mayors and other community leaders in their home districts asking for restoration of the Local Government Distributed Fund funds owed to them.

“This is tax revenue generated locally and sent to the state, and per a long-standing agreement, 10% of those funds are supposed to be returned to local units of government to help fund their budgets.

“While we made some progress, we didn’t go nearly far enough. [The percentage increased the from 6.16% to 6.47%.] 

“The majority party continues to sweep nearly half of these funds for other state-level uses.

“Our municipalities deserved much better from this body.”

= = = = =

DeWtte is the former Mayor of St. Charles.