Walker Responds to Governor Pritzker’s Budget Address

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Following Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget address to a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly, state Rep. Mark Walker, D-Arlington Heights, released the following statement:

“Today in his budget address, Governor Pritzker gave a speech that is entirely square with the reality of our state. We have accrued billions in unpaid bills and over 100 billion in long-term obligations the state has to pay in the years to come.

“Decades of mismanagement and poor judgement from both parties have placed us where we find ourselves today. Solving Illinois’ budget crisis is going to require reasonable cooperation to control spending and account for the needs of the middle class.

“It is time for the wealthy to begin paying their fair share. We cannot stand by and allow the status quo to solve these difficult challenges for us. I look forward to working with both Republicans and Democrats to solve the state’s most pressing financial issues.