IL Democratic lawmakers race to pass $55.9 billion budget

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — State lawmakers are preparing to vote on a roughly $56 billion budget with just hours remaining before the end of session.

Senate Democrats introduced the Fiscal Year 2027 spending plan during a subject matter hearing Sunday morning. Lead budgeteer Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) said the budget protects vulnerable residents while fully funding K-12 education and meeting pension obligations.

Sims also said the proposal includes $45 million for property tax relief grants and $70 million to help people losing SNAP benefits due to restrictions approved by Congress. This program could provide eligible Illinoisans a one-time $400 to help buy food.

"We are facing a crisis," Sims said. "There are over 100,000 individuals who will lose SNAP benefits as a result of the actions from a hostile federal government. But we are responding directly to those challenges."

The budget does not include a 2% increase in the state's motor fuel tax, which would have been 1.3 cents for drivers. However, Republicans are furious that Democrats plan to take $150 million from the road fund to help with operational spending.

"We ought to be suspending the sales tax on motor fuel right now, not diverting it to the general revenue fund and not diverting it in oddly the exact same dollar amount as we've got for illegal immigrant healthcare and welcome centers," said Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet). "I mean, right there, if you eliminate those two things, you can give the people their surplus in sales tax back."

Republicans said they were glad to hear that Democrats plan to increase state funding for the local government distributive fund. Municipal leaders were concerned that they would see a cut in LGDF funding next year.

The Senate Appropriations Committee only discussed the budget proposal and budget implementation bill during the morning subject matter hearing, leaving many to wonder about the specific tax increases that Democrats will include in the revenue legislation.

Sims stressed that budgeteers were still finalizing that plan, but there are no tax increases on every working families.

Republicans are also concerned that Democrats included another cost of living adjustment for lawmakers salaries, which could see legislators earning $101,450.

This story will be updated.