Senator Andrew Chesney’s Column
As many of you already know, and your wallets certainly do, Governor J.B. Pritzker and his Democrat supermajority have rammed through a record-breaking budget. This bloated disaster is a direct result of Pritzker’s complete and utter disengagement from the state he was elected to lead.
This budget should outrage any reasonable person: it includes nearly $56 billion in total spending, $800 million in new taxes, a $150 million sweep from gas sales tax revenue, and hundreds of millions of dollars in spending on programs for illegal immigrants.
While families battle sky-high property taxes, crushing utility bills, and an economy that continues to lag the nation, we need real leadership focused on fixing our problems. Instead, we got a governor who treats Springfield like a pit stop on his national political tour.
Just look at the numbers. Pritzker spent only 22 days in Springfield during the most critical moments of the legislative session. That is it! He held a grand total of 14 in-person meetings with rank-and-file legislators all spring. Only one of those meetings involved the Bears stadium negotiations.
Being governor of Illinois apparently annoys J.B. Pritzker. While he takes private jets around the country trying to build his national profile, major priorities here at home are collapsing: the Bears stadium deal, a responsible budget, and real relief for working families. This part-time approach is failing Illinois.
Take our education system that Pritzker loves to talk about. School transportation and special education remain severely underfunded. The state is covering just 66 percent of transportation costs, shortchanging districts by 34 percent. Special education transportation is underfunded by 45 percent, and special education tuition by 38 percent. Local taxpayers are left holding the bag with higher property taxes just so kids can get to class.
The same story is playing out with your utility bills. In Ameren territory, electricity rates have exploded from 8.64 cents per kWh in 2019 to about 22 cents per kWh today, a more than 150 percent increase. ComEd customers are staring down another 12 percent hike this summer. No serious legislation to bring relief. Why? Because Pritzker views Illinois as a fly-over state while he chases bigger ambitions.
The economic numbers do not lie. Illinois now has the highest unemployment rate in the Midwest at 5.1 percent, fourth highest in the nation. From 2019 to 2024, we added jobs at just 4.5 percent, the worst rate among our neighbors.
Indiana created 38 percent more jobs proportionally. Missouri added 36 percent more. Even Wisconsin outperformed us. Our real GDP grew just 6.5 percent from 2019 to 2025, less than half the national average. Real personal income grew only 6.2 percent versus 13.6 percent nationally. Despite record spending, Illinois is bleeding residents and opportunity. Heck, even the Governor can’t wait to leave for a bigger house.
A lot of success in any job comes down to just showing up. Pritzker can’t even do that. Governors set the tone for state government. When the governor’s attention is elsewhere, Illinois families pay the price: higher taxes, worse services, a $56 billion budget and a state falling further behind.
Illinois deserves better. We deserve a governor who is fully engaged in solving our challenges, not one who treats our state as a stepping stone to higher office. It is time to demand accountability and real leadership in Springfield.