The Illinois General Assembly has finalized the work of the 2024 spring legislative Session. Shortly after 4:30 AM on Wednesday morning, House Democrats raised taxes on citizens and businesses to the tune of $1 billion in order to pay for around a billion dollars in new spending on services like healthcare for non-citizens and pork projects for Democrat districts.
As the House Republican Floor Leader, I was intimately involved in the debate over the budget’s spending and implementation and the tax hike package that passed. I voted NO on the record spending $53.1 budget package.
Rep. Windhorst is seen here reading the Illinois House Rulebook, and later cited House Rule 72, which allows only two votes on a motion to concur. Democrats broke their own House Rules and rammed through a $1 billion in tax hikes early Wednesday morning.
I have spent the time after the budget vote speaking to the media and releasing informational statements. I wanted to take this opportunity to share more of my reaction and news outlet coverage of my comments on the House floor during the controversial debate.
Learn more below – THANK YOU for reading. And thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve you in Springfield and in the 117th district!
VIDEO REACTION: House GOP Floor Leader Rep. Windhorst Calls Out Illinois Democrats for Breaking House Rules to Raise $1 Billion in Taxes
SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois General Assembly has finalized the work of the 2024 spring legislative Session. Shortly after 4:30 AM on Wednesday morning, House Democrats raised taxes on citizens and businesses to the tune of $1 billion in order to pay for around $1 billion in new spending on services like healthcare for non-citizens and pork projects for Democrat districts.
As the House Republican Floor Leader, I was intimately involved in the debate over the budget’s spending and implementation and the tax hike package that passed. I voted NO on the record spending $53.1 budget package and NO on the $1 billion in new taxes.
Listen to my comments below!
Windhorst: FY 25 Budget Sets Spending Record, Relies on $1 Billion in Tax Hikes
SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Representative Patrick Windhorst has served as the House Republican Floor Leader since the start of the 103rd General Assembly. The House of Representatives wrapped up its regular session work early Wednesday morning, with Windhorst casting a no vote on the FY 2025 budget citing the use of more than $1 billion in new taxes to pay for a record spending budget of more than $53 billion dollars.
”I am concerned with the way that the Democrats’ spending plan prioritizes appropriations for non-citizens to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars and at the same time increases taxes on individuals, working families, and businesses,” Windhorst said. “While I understand the state of Illinois faces budgetary pressures, I would have preferred a budget that prioritized tax cuts and spending cuts during this incredibly difficult financial time for taxpayers.”
The FY 2025 budget is contained in multiple amendments to two bills, SB 251 (budget) and HB 4959 (budget implementation). Expanding on his reasoning for voting against the FY 2025 budget, Windhorst says he and fellow Republicans were completely cut out of the budget negotiations.
“Our caucus represents more than four million Illinoisans, and their best interests are not represented in this budget,” Windhorst said. “Republicans have in the past brought forward ideas for property tax relief, ethics reforms, permanent reductions in spending for illegal immigrant spending, and incentives for job creators to come to and stay in Illinois. This budget raises taxes and spending and was put together behind closed doors with no input from the Republicans in either the House or Senate. I voted NO.”
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News Coverage
WSIL-TV 3: Pritzker, government officials respond to Illinois Budget plan
WTTW: Illinois Lawmakers Finalize $53.1 Billion Budget After Working Through the Night