PEORIA, Ill. – Peoria area legislators are reacting to Governor J.B. Pritzker’s “State of the State” address Wednesday afternoon.
Peoria Democratic State Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth says there is a need to deliver a “responsible” state budget with uncertainty in Washington, and create a budget that addresses the needs of families. She also wants to see continued investment in education, public safety, and decreasing daily costs for residents.
“The governor’s proposal is the first step in a longer process that will hear from stakeholders across our state. I’m focused on ensuring that Peoria has a seat at the table, and am looking forward to the work ahead,” Gordon-Booth said.
Democratic State Senator Dave Koehler of Peoria says the budget should focus on areas that will have the most impact, such as schools and universities, and ensuring access to affordable health care. Koehler wants to also expand resources for public safety and mental health services.
The other side of the aisle believes the budget is too big, with Republicans saying the proposal is the largest budget in the state’s history.
State Senator Chris Balkema (R-Channahon) says while there are some encouraging parts of the spending plan, he plans to work with colleagues to develop a budget that “serves our state in a sustainable way.”
State Representative Travis Weaver (R-Edwards) also criticized spending increases, believing that billions of dollars in deficits could mean cuts to essential services.
Weaver says there were some items in the governor’s speech that he was in favor of, such as banning cell phones in K-12 classrooms and offering 4-year degrees at state community colleges. But, in a Facebook Live video after the speech, Weaver says the rhetoric in Pritzker’s speech took away from the positives.
“When you’re trying to have the spirit of bipartisanship, let’s find places where we can make cuts that make sense,” Weaver said. “And then, all of a sudden, we’re calling the leader of the free world the worst person that’s ever been alive in history.”
At the end of his 35-minute speech, Pritzker invoked the specter of Nazi Germany to slam President Donald Trump, saying he does not take that “lightly.”
Pritzker said the root that tears apart a house’s foundation starts as a seed. He added, “the seed that grew into a dictatorship in Europe a lifetime ago didn’t arrive overnight. It started with everyday Germans mad about inflation and looking for someone to blame.”
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