HGOP’s Durkin decries “imaginary money”

Posted on February 15, 2021
House Minority Leader Jim Durkin. (Dave Dahl/WJBC)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – The top Republican in the Illinois House has plenty of skepticism about Wednesday’s budget address from Gov. JB Pritzker.

House Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) says the Democrats’ budgeting practices are straight out of Fantasyland.

“Gov. Pritzker and his enablers from the House and Senate continue to budget at $42 billion,” Durkin told an online news conference. “With a snap of a finger, this budget becomes law; nevermind the global crisis.

The Illinois Democrats cooked up a budget predicated on imaginary money that may or may not ever show up.”

That sort of plan is not exclusive to Democrats. Former Gov. Bruce Rauner once introduced a budget relying on “$4.6 billion dollars working together on a Grand Bargain.” 

There was no Grand Bargain.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]. 

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…