Rock Island Today

Illinois faces a challenging fiscal outlook as outlined by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA) in its latest report. The commission anticipates a $277 million spending shortfall by the end of the current fiscal year. Looking further ahead, CGFA predicts rising deficits, reaching $1.877 billion in 2026, escalating to $3.199 billion in 2027, and $4.323 billion in 2028. While the state struggles with its "structural deficit," the commission emphasizes that if state spending growth is held to 1.2%, the deficit could significantly decrease, potentially nearing balance by 2027.

The House recently missed an opportunity for ethics reform, despite last week's deadline for moving bills out of committees. Representative Dan Swanson highlighted the lack of bipartisan representation, stating, "while there were over 600 bills which made it onto the House floor for consideration, only 64 of these had Republican sponsors." No significant anti-corruption bills, including measures restricting lobbyist transitions for outgoing members and prohibiting the use of campaign funds for legal expenses tied to corruption, made it to the House floor.

Swanson introduced 15 new bills in the spring session, and five continue to advance. House Bill 46 targets child care shortages, House Bill 1149 covers academic credit for firefighter training, House Bill 1754 focuses on alpha-gal syndrome awareness, House Bill 2631 updates the Illinois Code of Military Justice, and House Bill 3388 expands the definition of “fire department vehicle.”

The legislative session still has two months remaining, leaving room for budget decisions. Swanson urges wise fiscal management, stating, "there is still time to make responsible choices and spend taxpayer money much more wisely than before."