Wirepoints’ Mark Glennon on AM560’s Morning Answer: Illinois Budget’s New Taxes Face Serious Constitutional Challenges
June 12, 2026
2 Comments
Audio and summary linked here.
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A mess of uncertainty and litigation is sure to follow.
With $162 billion more from taxpayers, couldn’t you deliver a few bond upgrades, too
No one in Illinois government seems to have ever heard about not counting your chickens before they hatch.
More of Illinois dream spending based upon “revenue projections” that may or may not happen. To be sure the spending will be rolled out but the projected funding may very well not come in. Naturally by that time this new spending would be characterized as “must have” because Illinoisans just love those goodies meaning there will be plenty of support for a tax hike. Like it or not, which I do not, that is the way I see it and I sure hope I am wrong but this is Illinois and I have become accustomed to being disappointed.
While I don’t have enough information as to the accuracy of the revenue projections I agree with your overall sentiment. This is the Illinois way.
I don’t have the hard data either but predict it will equate to the funding level of an assortment of goodies…can we say possibly enough to convert community colleges into 4 year colleges?
Every year we hear that the budget is balanced as per state law, yet every year the deficit increases geometrically. Glad I’m not an accountant, my head would be spinning.
and still no ACFR?
Correct. Nor an explanation for that. Nor any media asking and criticizing.
It’s a miracle! Only a day before the State of the State address, and suddenly Illinois is flush with cash! I may have been born at night, but it wasn’t last night, so I call BS on Governor Blowhard. Is the man really so insecure, is his ego so incredibly fragile, that he refuses to acknowledge the fiscal cliff on which Illinois sits, as a result of his ineptitude? After blowing a billion on migrants, where did the money come from? Let me guess, revenue projections are suddenly up! Way up! It must be all those billionaire businessmen moving into… Read more »
His billions will be just fine no matter what happens in Illinois. I bet he ends up living in Florida.
$3 bil deficit? No problem, just increase the revenue projections, then brag about your balanced budget. True financial genius. Hey, maybe JB can teach Brandon Johnson how to balance Chicago’s budget too.
We can even increase spending now. Must be a nice surplus. Pritzker wants 500 million for “shovel ready” real estate projects. Not to mention community colleges to start offering 4 year degrees. I’m sure the people will be happy with this new spending otherwise they will choose different elected officials at our next election. The voters just love it when Illinois spends more money on services.
A novel concept- money is a function of votes.
Money just exists. People get it by voting.- The Public Unions Theory of Economics. May even be Nobel Prize worthy.
How much money we spend or tax is a function of votes. Welcome to being an adult. Now you know.
Must be a nice surplus- we can increase spending. Buy your ticket to Oslo now.
No tax increases necessary and maybe even a small surplus. Pretty good considering Illinois was looking at a $3.2 billion deficit just a few days ago. Looks like we can hold off another year for tax increases.