Sangamon Sun

State Representative Joe Sosnowski of Rockford expressed his concerns following the approval of the fiscal year 2026 state budget by the Illinois House of Representatives. In a statement, Rep. Sosnowski criticized the budget for increasing taxes and spending.

"Illinois citizens cannot afford more out-of-control spending, misplaced priorities, higher taxes, and more inflation," said Sosnowski. He emphasized that the budget would raise an additional $1 billion in taxes on working families and job creators in Illinois. According to him, this follows a pattern he attributes to Illinois Democrats: "Tax, spend, tax, spend, repeat."

Sosnowski also pointed out that the budget increases baseline spending using temporary revenue sources from dedicated funds. He warned that this approach could lead to further tax hikes in the future as Democrats seek additional funds for spending.

Furthermore, Sosnowski expressed concern over what he described as unprecedented authority given to Governor J.B. Pritzker in making spending decisions under this budget. Reflecting on past experiences with emergency orders from Governor Pritzker, Sosnowski argued that such authority could result in negative outcomes for taxpayers and businesses in Illinois.

Representative Sosnowski represents the 69th District which includes parts of Winnebago, Boone, and McHenry Counties.