Kane County Reporter

As the veto session concluded on November 21, State Senator Don DeWitte (R-St. Charles) expressed concerns about potential tax hikes and budget reallocations by majority party Democrats. These measures are seen as efforts to address a projected $3.2 billion budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year.

State spending has increased significantly under Governor Pritzker, with a record-high $53 billion budget approved for the current fiscal year. This budget includes $1 billion in tax increases and over $1 billion allocated for healthcare and services for noncitizens.

“There were zero discussions during veto session about how state government will rein in spending and act responsibly in 2025-2026,” said DeWitte. He warned of possible new taxes and revenue diversions from areas like the motor fuel fund and the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF).

DeWitte criticized the Governor's past actions, saying, “The Governor has routinely swept funds away from LGDF, and these are funds our local governments use to balance their budgets and pay for critical services like police and fire protection.” He emphasized his commitment to opposing any further weakening of municipalities' financial positions.

In 2024, DeWitte sponsored legislation aimed at eliminating the grocery tax while compensating municipalities by restoring funds taken from LGDF. However, this bill was blocked. Instead, the Pritzker administration removed the grocery tax but allowed local governments to raise taxes independently to cover shortfalls.

“Unfortunately, we are now learning that the ‘process’ the Governor put in place will not work for many non-home rule municipalities,” said DeWitte. He criticized what he perceives as either bad faith negotiations or a lack of understanding regarding the consequences of repealing the grocery tax.

DeWitte also highlighted concerns from constituents struggling financially who cannot afford additional taxes. Alongside Senate Republican Caucus colleagues, he advocates for a balanced 2025-2026 budget without new taxes.