Sangamon Sun

State Representative Mike Coffey (R-Springfield) expressed disappointment following the passage of the FY 2025 budget early Wednesday morning. In a statement, Rep. Coffey criticized the Democratic-led General Assembly for crafting a $53.1 billion budget behind closed doors and passing it without Republican support.

“Democrats in the General Assembly worked behind closed doors to craft a record-spending $53.1 billion budget for the State of Illinois,” said Rep. Coffey. “This massive budget was passed without Republican support and is $2.6 billion more than last year’s budget. Nearly $1 billion in tax hikes will be felt across the state as taxpayers brace themselves to support the ongoing migrant crisis. I am once again disappointed to see hard-working Illinois families being left behind again with no help from their government.”

Rep. Coffey described this budget as "the largest partisan budget in state history" and lamented its failure to address what he considers essential needs of Illinois residents and businesses.

“This is a sobering moment for our state as we continue to spend millions on non-citizens at the expense of taxpayers while veterans and disabled citizens are shortchanged," he said. "Illinois could be a prosperous state, but our government is prioritizing spending money on non-citizens rather than our own citizens and hard-working taxpayers.”

Governor Pritzker supports the tax increases included in the FY25 state budget, maintaining that it remains balanced despite rising taxpayer-funded healthcare costs for non-citizens over the past three years.

“Illinois has the second highest property tax rate in the nation and one of the top priorities for the majority party is to use ARPA funds for rental assistance," Coffey stated. "To move our state in the right direction, we must have fiscal responsibility, public policies that benefit residents, and lower taxes for individuals, families, and employers."

Coffey warned that over-taxation on residents and businesses is detrimental to potential economic growth both within his district—the 95th House District—and across Illinois.

For further information, constituents can contact Rep. Coffey’s office at 217-782-0053 or via email at coffey@ilhousegop.org.

Representative Mike Coffey serves parts of Sangamon County, including portions of Springfield and Villages of Chatham and Rochester, as well as parts of Macon and Christian Counties.