By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – J.B. Pritzker’s potential challengers are not impressed with the incumbent Illinois governor’s budget proposal.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey held a news conference outside the Illinois Capitol after the governor introduced a $56 billion budget for fiscal year 2027.

Bailey said Illinoisans don’t need more bureaucracy or taxes disguised as fees.

“They need lower property taxes. They need real pension reform. They need transparency in state finances. They need a government that grows slower than their paychecks, not faster,” Bailey said.

Bailey said Pritzker’s address offered more government, but no relief.

GOP candidate Ted Dabrowski also spoke outside the state capitol on Wednesday and said Illinois has the fifth worst economy in the country.

“This matters because we are the worst in job creation. We have created almost zero jobs. When you look at the rest of the country, they are creating a tremendous amount of jobs,” Dabrowski said.

Another GOP candidate, James Mendrick, said in a social media post that Illinois needs safer streets, lower costs, better schools and reliable energy.

Rick Heidner said in a post that Illinois needs to improve the state’s business climate to generate more tax revenue.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked Wednesday about Pritzker signing Illinois House Bill 460, expanding taxpayer-funded college financial aid to people who are in the country illegally.

“The president certainly thinks that Gov. Pritzker is not doing a very good job of managing his state, as evidenced by not only the waste, fraud and abuse but also the crime in the city of Chicago that, unfortunately, Gov. Pritzker has refused to pick up the phone and call and ask the White House for help on,” Leavitt said.

The Illinois Policy Institute reported that violent crime decreased in nearly 90% of Chicago’s neighborhoods last year.

HB 460 took effect on Jan. 1 after Pritzker signed it last year.