Illinois Senate Passes Gov. Pritzker’s 2025 Budget with $870M Tax Hike, Sparking Concerns Over Sports Betting Impact
Critics Decry Illinois Budget Allocation – Millions Earmarked for Migrant Crisis, Noncitizen Healthcare, Drawing GOP Opposition
According to the published article in My Stateline, the Illinois Senate, led by Democrats has approved Governor JB Pritzker‘s budget plan for 2025. The budget includes a tax increase of about $870 million for residents, mainly from raising the tax on sports betting from 15% to 35%. Some people worry this might hurt the betting industry but other states with similar taxes haven’t had that problem.
The budget also sets aside money for different things. It includes $182 million for dealing with the migrant crisis and $440 million for a healthcare plan for people who aren’t citizens. There’s also $50 million to help families with kids aiming to reduce childhood poverty. And there are investments in education and technology like doubling the funding for a program called Smart Start Illinois and giving $500 million to boost quantum computing. But some Republicans don’t like the budget because they think it spends too much and focuses too much on people who aren’t citizens.
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Illinois Senate Approves $43.7 Billion Budget with $870 Million Tax Hike – Allocation of $182 Million for Migrant Crisis and $500 Million for Quantum Computing (PHOTO: NowDecatur.com)
Illinois Senate Approves Gov. Pritzker’s Budget Plan, Facing Criticism for Tax Hikes and Spending Priorities
Additionally, Republicans don’t like the budget. They think it spends too much and gives too many benefits to people who aren’t citizens. But the budget also tries to solve different problems like helping families with kids and investing in schools and new technology. Even though the Senate agreed on the budget there will likely be more discussions in the House about how it will affect taxpayers and the state’s money in the future.
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