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Illinois passes record $55.9 billion budget, with over $800 million in tax increases – Illinois Policy
Some bad proposals were weeded out of the budget package. The Local Government Distributive Fund, which Gov. JB Pritzker proposed cutting by $60 million, was left alone. Individual income tax revenues shared with localities will remain at the current 6.47 percent rather than being trimmed down to 6.23 percent and putting upward pressure on property taxes.
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Totaling the unsustainable tax increases and windfall revenue during Pritzker Administration – Wirepoints
May 26, 2026
26 Comments
With $162 billion more from taxpayers, couldn’t you deliver a few bond upgrades, too
Audio and summary Why the Holdup Using Artificial Intelligence to Cut Illinois Government Costs? – Wirepoints
May 19, 2026
10 Comments
A largely unasked question is becoming glaring: Is Illinois doing all it should to use artificial intelligence to make government cost less and work better? So far, the evidence says no.
Note to readers from Mark Glennon re: Ukraine
May 6, 2026
4 Comments
Everybody needs a side hustle these days, and mine is Ukraine, where I am now.
So everyone on this page knows that nothing is ever going to change with respect to the tax and spend policy that illinois has. If not now when will you uproot and move from this hell hole? I suspect none of you ever will.
You have been captured in this roundabout of political and economic doom speak and will not ever make the turn to exit. Oh ye suckers…
I am in LA at the moment. Massive problems here too, of course, but at least they have the Southern CA friendliness still. It’s like everybody here makes a conscious effort to be upbeat always and nice to anybody they meet.
SSDD. And the slave and sheep continue to grumble but come November you will elect the same democrats. Sometimes the faces change but the stealing and corruption never does. The dems know what they are dealing with. They don’t worry about citizens because there are none. Just supine slaves willing to grovel and eat whatever crap they have to just for the privilege of keeping what little equity they have amassed in their crumbling little hovel. They know they can do whatever they want to you.
Illinois political animals never, ever have to do with less. Only the Chumbolones feel the squeeze. Every time. The fraud and the skim must continue. As PPF (Mr./Mrs./Ms.) state retiree says: There is no solution save the exit.
Illinois elects its dumbest.
Indeed.
I would say Illinois’ dumbest elect the its dumbest.
Agreed.
I’ve been told at length how Illinois taxes are so high that Illinois can’t possibly raise taxes any higher. This must be the fake news that they talk about. Illinois will eventually raise even more taxes even though they “can’t”. Increase income taxes. Perhaps add a progressive income tax. Tax retirement income. Tax services Add some real estate transfer taxes (allow for some relief if the funds from the sale buy a similar property within the state) to get some final tax dollars if people decide to leave the state and skip out on the debt. If the Illinois voters… Read more »
What can you expect? $800 million in new taxes. Some aimed at corporations (so more can consider leaving IL), some aimed at internet usage (which normal citizens won’t notice), social media sites (keep using Twitter and Tik Tok), fantasy sites, and pay raises for lawmakers, leadership, committee chairs, and all constitutional officers. Who did they miss? More money out of everyday residents pockets. Wonder why there’s an affordability crisis?
Taxes aimed at corporations are taxes levied by cowardly political animals afraid their skim would be interrupted by an election loss if levied directly at their constituents. That corporations pay absolutely zero dollars in taxes and never have, as customers of those businesses will have to reach deeper into their wallets to pay for those cowardly taxes.
A few of the taxes are taxes on revenue/assets–this means that the entirety of the business’s operations are no longer considered–just the revenue prior to consideration of the cost of doing business or actual results of operations. The crypto tax appears to be a tax on assets held and not related to a gain or loss due to a sale. These are horrible precedents: imagine a tax on the increased value of your home each year (in addition to any property taxes) in isolation, without considering the actual sale of the property (where upon the actual capital gain is determined).… Read more »
This budget is reflective of the meek and incompetent “leaders” In Springfield. It is great they got a raise for a part-time job on the backs of taxpayers when they don’t even read half the legislation they approve. Illinois is a joke.
All this affordability in the form of new tariffs on working families is awesome! Thank you sir, may I have another?
How can you vote on A BUDGET YOU DIDN’T READ ??? WTF !! The PIGOLSI “pass it then you can read it .”
We know the majority of the legislators don’t even get the opportunity to read the budget. Wirepoints readers seem to be the only ones who do and they’re outraged. Meanwhile the electorate sleeps while their pockets are being emptied.
Hopefully people will remember this at election time, but I doubt it.
Certainly don’t remember the 1,000’s of American’s killed and the hostages taken in Iran by terrorist, more concerned about the price of gas. TDS at it’s finest.
Ok, so, late in the night and in the dark…our elected grifters and criminals in Springfield approved a budget that does a combination of a shell-game (moving money from one budget to another) penalizing municipalities and us the tax payer, getting back at those nasty Corporations who don’t pay their fair-share by imposing new tax on their services – which will of-course be passed on to the Illinois tax payer and last but not least…increased spending on many things including a raise for themselves. The honest, conservative tax payer in Illinois has no representation in Illinois state government. Nothing but… Read more »
Even after all of this they still do not have the change of nickel. They are flat A$$ broke economically and morally. One of the highest taxed states in the Union. Unfunded Pension obligations are increasing still. Further Tax increases are on the horizon. Services are poor at best that is when they are provided at all. The education system in major cities is disgraceful. More and more people are choosing to vote with their feet. Illinois continues to lose businesses and the job creators. The future of Illinois looks bleak at best.