Illinois lawmakers are days away from passing a roughly $56 billion fiscal year 2027 budget, but many are still fighting to have their priorities included as negotiations wind down.
Republicans want to reduce the size of the budget and lower taxes, while some Democrats are seeking more taxes on businesses and billionaires.
Others are looking to maintain state programs, fearing future budget holes and social service cuts in the coming years.
The budget became more complicated earlier this month when analysts for the General Assembly and Governor JB Pritzker’s budget office lowered revenue projections for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1.
The revisions by the governor’s office revealed a $149 million gap between what Pritzker proposed spending and the amount of revenue the state will have to support it — and that includes $728 million in new taxes and revenue changes proposed by the governor.
Negotiations over the final budget continue behind the scenes as a Sunday night deadline approaches.
