Pritzker budget would hike spending, amount hinges on voters

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivers his state budget address, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Ill. (Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP)

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Gov. J.B. Pritzker is proposing a $40.7 billion state budget. He dressed it up Wednesday by dangling the prospect of a $1.4 billion revenue boost if voters approve a radical income-tax overhaul this fall.

The second-year Democrat presented a fiscal outline with virtually no spending increase. It purports to boost spending in key areas such as education. But Pritzker is holding $1.4 billion “in reserve,” to be used only if a graduated income tax is OK’d.

Republicans complained Pritzker is holding the tax question over taxpayers’ heads to secure the additional spending.

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