Pritzker says $481.6 million put in reserves, GOP questions state spending

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – One day after an Illinois state representative said there was no budget transparency from J.B. Pritzker’s office, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget said it identified $481.6 million in reserves.

The governor issued an executive order last September directing state agencies to reserve up to 4% of their general fund appropriations.

State Rep. Amy Elik, R-Alton, said during a press conference at the Illinois Capitol on Wednesday that Republicans were shut out of budget discussions and their requests for agency spending were denied.

“When one party controls the process with no input from others, the result is bloated budgets, no transparency and a growing lack of trust in government,” Elik said.

On Thursday, Pritzker’s office released the GOMB list with reserves across several areas of government.

The reserves’ breakdown for fiscal year 2026 includes $361.5 million in health care and human services, $57.2 million in government services, $30.5 million in higher education, $22.1 million in public safety, and $10.3 million in economic development, environment and culture.

Pritzker’s office said the reserves were identified to mitigate fiscal risk amid economic uncertainty that he claims is driven by the Trump administration.

Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, said a lot more than $481 million went to people who are in the country illegally.

“We have 550,000 people that have come here, that is, we spent over $2 billion on health care, education and housing for illegal immigrants,” McCombie said.

McCombie said she hopes next year’s budget is flat or lower than the current $55.2 billion spending plan.

“Since I got here in 2017 it was $36 billion for our general revenues fund. I hope there’s no pork projects. I hope we’re not going to fund illegal immigrants,” McCombie said.

State Rep. Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford, said Illinois Democrats keep finding more programs to spend money on.

“State spending, as was mentioned, has continued to increase, 40% over the last seven years. If these guys try to do any more things to save and create affordability, we’re all going to be broke,” Sosnowski said.

The governor is scheduled to deliver his budget address for fiscal year 2027 at the Illinois Capitol in Springfield next month.