Metro East Sun

Rep. CD Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) wants Democrats and Republicans to work together on a budget.

"Today what I really want to focus on is transparency and the opportunity for us all to work together," Davidsmeyer said during a recent news conference. "Back in May of 2020, the Democrats passed a horribly unbalanced bill based on the hope that Gov. (J.B.) Pritzker’s progressive tax would pass. We all know the reality, over half of Illinoisans turned that down."

Davidsmeyer said back in 2019 Republicans came together with Pritzker to try to come up with a bipartisan balanced budget.

"We worked together and we came up with some good agreements," Davidsmeyer said. "I think it's past time for us to come together and start to work on these as soon as possible. I think that some of my Democratic colleagues have even said that we need to come together to discuss how the federal dollars are going to be spent."

Davidsmeyer said Republicans and Democrats need to look at the governor's proposed budget and have a sit-down meeting with him. 

"He gave his proposal almost a month ago and still has yet to have a sit-down meeting with any House Republicans," Davidsmeyer said. "The COGFA, the Commission on government forecasting and accountability, has said the revenues coming into the state, the natural growth in the state of Illinois, is better than expected which is great news for Illinoisans. We still have to make some difficult decisions and I think the people of the state of Illinois sent republicans and Democrats to Springfield to work together to make those difficult decisions."

Davidsmeyer said Pritzker has also been on a tour of the state signing bills that will cost the state an additional $5-10 billion.

"I was just in a committee right before this press conference that was looking at spending an additional $5-12 billion dollars on top of that," Davidsmeyer said. "You know, I think we need to get together and get back to reality. Sit down, be transparent in this process and work together to pass a truly balanced budget that doesn't use the federal dollars to fill holes, but get us out of the holes."