SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Illinois House Republicans believe lawmakers should not approve any new taxes during budget negotiations this year.

House GOP Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) told reporters Thursday that her members are focused on eliminating pension debt, fully funding education and ensuring Illinois residents are prioritized over undocumented immigrants and migrants. 

McCombie argued that these are common sense solutions and Democrats need to allow Republicans to participate in the budget negotiation process.

"It takes two to negotiate, so obviously that also takes measures of good faith," McCombie said. "We cannot sit down together and have these negotiations if we're not being honest and transparent with one another."

House GOP lead budgeteer Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) said Democrats should not try to create a graduated income tax or any other taxes for Fiscal Year 2025. She also noted that the state has expanded human services by $3.6 million and Medicaid coverage by roughly $1.5 million. While Hammond said those expansions we're necessarily a bad thing, she noted that lawmakers need to be careful and tighten the budget.

"The challenge is how do we continue to balance those expansions on top of additionally rising costs and lowering revenues," Hammond asked.

The Pritzker administration told WAND News that Republicans have failed Illinois families by voting against increases in funding for social services, economic development and state investment in public education.

"Until they decide people are more important than politics, Governor Pritzker and the Democratic supermajorities in the General Assembly will continue to lead by example and put their constituents first," said Press Secretary Alex Gough.

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