JB Pritzker: “Let Them Have Pennies”

Written by David E. Smith

This past Thursday, Governor J.B. Pritzker and other Democrat members of the Illinois General Assembly held a press conference to trumpet their weak election-year economic “relief” plan. They must be tone-deaf. This temporary plan does very little for working families long-term. High taxes plus the inflated costs of gasoline, electricity, and food have all but destroyed discretionary spending.

Unlike billionaire Pritzker, the majority of families in Illinois have very little savings in reserve. Yet government bureaucrats continue to demand more and more from taxpayers every year. In fact, Pritzker is calling for a special session to discuss more money for Planned Parenthood to pay for abortions with our tax dollars. Democrats already plan to dig deeper into our pockets.

One-time rebates of our tax dollars are irresponsible ways to help families who have to make painful cuts to survive. If these politicians really wanted to provide economic relief, they would offer significant and permanent tax relief for residents and businesses. But that would require making budget cuts.

The Illinois General Assembly and the Pritzker administration are oblivious to the needs of working families who are struggling to make ends meet. They say they are fighting to help struggling families, but for decades now, Democratic leaders have focused on expanding the state bureaucracy and raising fees and taxes on those they claim to serve.

Next year, after the November election, tax increases, fees, and energy costs will bounce back up. In fact, Pritzker’s automatic gas increase every July 1^st that he signed into law will double next year to make up for this year’s cut. He’s kicking the can down the road. It is foolish to think that this temporary government “assistance” is anything more than an attempt to distract voters from the situation that leftwing policies have created.

If Democrat politicians really wanted to help improve the economic condition of Illinois residents, they would cut the waste and scale back government spending. Most voters understand that the burden of bigger government falls to taxpayers who are being nickeled and dimed to death. Smaller government is the best way to help the people of Illinois. This can be accomplished if Democrats worked hard to reduce the size and scope of the state bureaucracy.

The irony of political “leaders” holding a press conference during an election cycle to tell us how magnanimous they are to give us pennies back in rebates and refunds to help us pay for the hundreds of dollars we are spending on gas, groceries and school supplies is not lost on Illinoisans. We know these increased costs are due to Democrat policies. This type of “help” is a slap in the face. But by now, Illinoisans know–or should know–that Democrats view us as chumps–not as hardworking citizens struggling to make ends meet.

Let’s pray that voters across the state will reject this type of pandering at the ballot box this November. It is high time we make a clean sweep in Springfield.