Gov. Pritzker announces $49.6 billion budget proposal headlined by education spending

Gov. JB Pritzker proposed a $49.6 billion spending plan Wednesday for the fiscal year 2024 budget, focusing primarily on preschool and collegiate education spending.

The 2023 State of the State and budget address returned to the Illinois House of Representatives for the first time in two years, where both chambers of the General Assembly convened for the governor's proposal.

As House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, a Democrat, noted, it was the first State of the State address with a Black person leading the House and the first woman, Republican Tony McCombie, as the minority party leader.

The Democrat governor began his remarks just after noon pointing to the progress made in his prior term, again championing investments made into the state’s rainy day fund and for the passage of four consecutive balanced budgets.

“Here in Illinois in 2023, I’m confident in saying the state of our State is stronger than it has been in decades, and we’re getting stronger every day.”

The proposal kicks off a months-long process where members of the Illinois General Assembly and administrative leaders will determine the 2024 fiscal year budget for the state. The fiscal year begins on July 1.

Smart Start Illinois

Expansion in preschool funding, headlined as the "Smart Start Illinois" plan, will reach $250 million for the year and makes good on ideas Pritzker introduced during his inaugural address last month at the Bank of Springfield Center.

Broken down, $75 million will be dedicated towards grant funding which has the goal of adding 20,000 slots to state preschools by 2027. Every 3-year-old and 4-year-old is guaranteed access to preschool through the plan.

“Smart Start Pre-K will provide new center-based and school-based classrooms, improve quality across the board, attract new professionals to the field, and ensure we reach our most vulnerable,” Pritzker said, which will make Illinois the "the best place in the nation to raise young children.”

Another $130 million would fund childcare workforce compensation contracts and $40 million for the state's early intervention program. A total of $9.8 billion has been dedicated to preschool through high school education funding in the fiscal year.

Past:What to watch ahead of Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget proposal to General Assembly lawmakers

MAP Funding

College funding through the Monetary Award Program would be increased by $100 million from the prior year's budget, up to $700 million in this fiscal year budget. MAP is a need-based program that has expanded by 75% over the past five years according to Alexis Sturm, director of the Governor's Office of Management and Budget.

The increase in MAP funding plus federal Pell grants will allow all community colleges and about 40% of public university students to cover their tuition and fees.

Jaichan Tyrique Smith, a University of Illinois at Springfield student, was highlighted as a MAP recipient. The junior from Chicago is studying psychology with a minor in child advocacy studies.

“I am determined to make sure that every person in Illinois has that same opportunity," the governor said.

The schools will also be boosted by a 7% increase in funding operations, where community colleges specifically will see $11 million in workforce and manufacturing training programs.

House Republicans questioned funding for Pritzker's initiatives.

"The intent seems good, but how do we get there is always the question," said McCombie, R-Savanna, after a briefing Tuesday. "I look forward to hearing how they are going to fund that."

Addressing homelessness

In another part of the governor's plan, the Department of Human Services would be tasked to tackle homelessness in the state. About eight out 10,000 people are deemed homeless in Illinois, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

Home Illinois would be a program topping $350 million and this funding would be divvied up primarily to support shelter services, court-based rental assistance and street outreach.

As Pritzker noted, Black Illinoisans are eight times more likely than white Illinoisans to experience homelessness. The issue, however, is one felt in every corner of the state regardless of age he said. “Homelessness is not an identity, it’s a set of circumstances,” the governor said, adding that more than 120,00 people in the state experience homelessness each year.

State Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, expressed support for Home Illinois during an Illinois Black Legislative Caucus press conference following the address. Turner served on Springfield City Council for 10 years before joining the state Senate in 2021 and said not having a permanent solution for that problem locally was one her of biggest regrets.

"I feel like that is a reliable solution that not only, number one as I said before, changes the face of homelessness and homelessness in our communities but it puts a solution that is not governed by who sits in those seats," she said. "It puts us in a place where we as a state are moving forward with a comprehensive way to address it."

Food insecurity

With COVID-19 extended Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits set to end later this month, approximately two million in Illinois will receive reductions of approximately $95 to $250 per person monthly according to IDHS.

Pritzker's budget proposal does not directly address SNAP, but does take-on food insecurity by providing funds to the new Illinois Grocery Initiative. The initiative would set aside $20 million for municipalities and local grocery stores to establish new locations in underserved rural and urban areas.

Another $2 million would go towards these groups to ensure they purchase food from farmers in the state.

“It’s time we return to a tried and true model — one where those communities are served by independent, local grocery stores that sell food grown by Illinois farmers,” Pritzker said, a remark earning standing applause from Democrats and claps from some Republicans.

Beyond the Land of Lincoln

While most of Pritzker’s hour-plus speech focused on state issues, much of his closing remarks took a national focus discussing anti-Semitism and nationalism being led by right-wing interests.

The governor previously requested more information from the College Board after it changed its curriculum for a new Advanced Placement course in African American studies. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had been vocal in criticism of the course that will be available to high school students, for including the study of “queer history” as reported by CNN.

Pritzker and DeSantis have been rumored as possible 2024 presidential candidates, but neither has announced plans to seek the office.

“Our nation has a great history, and much to be proud of,” Pritzker said. “I want my children to learn that history, but I don’t want them to be lied to. I want them to learn our true history, warts and all. Illinois’ young people shouldn’t be kept from learning about the realities of our world.”

More GOP reaction

The State of the State address mostly avoided the partisan theatrics seen at last week’s State of the Union address given by President Joe Biden. At several occasions, Republican and Democrat lawmakers even stood together in applause but some still divide still existed.

Several House Republicans described the depiction of the state’s financial status as overly rosy that had been assisted by federal aid from the COVID-19 pandemic.

McCombie again said the main concern for these initiatives came down to the dollars and figures and those funds will be raised.

“We want programs that are going to help our most vulnerable… but there is no sustainable source of funding for this,” she said.

Others such as state Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, who will serve as chair of the Reigniting Illinois’ Strong Economy Republican working group, said the proposal will hinder businesses’ ability to grow in the state.

“In response to the glaring issues which Illinois faces – sky high property taxes, endless regulations, and other unnecessary costs – Governor Pritzker is proposing new spending on Illinois’ budgetary house of cards," he said. "This budget proposal will do nothing but hinder our terrible climate for job creators and cause Illinois families to find moving trucks out of our unaffordable state.”

Republicans face an uphill battle in opposition to budget initiatives as the minority party. In the 103rd state General Assembly, the GOP lost five seats in the House, and gained a seat in the Senate but Democrats still control both chambers.

This story will be updated.

Contact Patrick Keck: 312-549-9340, pkeck@gannett.com, twitter.com/@pkeckreporter.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Education spending headlines Gov. JB Pritzker's $49.6 million budget