Dieterich, IL – State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) says Governor JB Pritzker’s shots at President Trump during the State of the State Address does nothing to solve the very real problems facing our state.
“Not once did the Governor mention property tax relief. Not once did he mention pension reform. Not once did he mention the public safety concerns in Chicagoland,” Niemerg said. “He did however mention Donald Trump at least six times in his speech. How is this helpful? We all know JB Pritzker hates Donald Trump, but the State of the State is the Governor’s opportunity to lay out his vision for the state. Instead of focusing on President Trump, the Governor should focus on the issues Illinois residents actually care about.”
Niemerg said Governor Pritzker insists he is presenting a “Balanced” budget but as usual these schemes are deceiving.
“For years, the state has been using creative accounting gimmicks to create the illusion of a ‘balanced’ budget,” Niemerg said. “They increase income projections and then lower spending projections and viola – the budget is ‘Balanced.’ But then when the bills come due, the payment cycle is stretched out longer and longer and, in the end, taxpayers take it on the chin because there is a monthly penalty for delayed state payments. The solution is to do a better job of managing our money. What we need is an Illinois version of the Department of Government Efficiency. It is baffling to me that we cannot have bipartisan support for managing our resources better and preventing these constant gaping budget holes that are a staple for all of these so-called ‘Balanced’ budgets.”
Niemerg said Illinois had the second highest outbound moves in 2024 – second only to New Jersey. He said the combination of high taxes; poor state leadership and rising crime are the culprits for the outbound migration.
He said it is time for state leaders to prioritize the needs of Illinois citizens. He noted the Governor did not address the issue of illegal immigration and the amount of money being spent on programs and services for people not even legally supposed to be here. A recent Pew Research poll showed 59 percent of Americans approve of President Trump’s immigration policies.
“The vast majority of Americans support President Trump’s efforts to secure our borders and deport criminals here illegally,” Niemerg said. “The Governor and the Democratic majority in the House are out of touch with the majority of American people. Instead of prioritizing the needs of our own citizens, they are continuing to pour money into programs for illegal immigrants. We have a responsibility to address the concerns of our own citizens. It is not the job of the state of Illinois to solve the immigration crisis. Maybe if we had leaders in this state who focused on the needs of Illinois citizens, we would no longer be a state people are anxious to leave.”
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