DeLuca Urges Restraint on Spending and Curtailing Unfunded Mandates

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, Ill. – State Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, released the following statement:

“While I am happy to hear that the Governor stated his intention to not increase spending or taxes for this coming fiscal year, a bumpy road filled with difficult choices still lay ahead. It is not prudent to have a budget deficit or count on Washington politicians to offset that deficit. We need to look inward for solutions to our state financial problems and not count on federal assistance that may never arrive.

“COVID-19 has economically hit residents in our state hard. Many of our local county and municipal governments are being forced to cover budget deficits through increases in property taxes and other fees. Though I still am fervently supportive of a statewide property tax freeze, I am proposing an additional cost-saving solution for our local governments and the Illinois residents given the extraordinary circumstances.

“House Bill 5 is legislation I have introduced to help provide immediate relief to local municipalities and taxpayers alike. It would allow for local government to void any unfunded mandates if the General Assembly or the Governor’s office does not appropriate the necessary funding. Passing this legislation into law right now can help local units of government shore up budget holes without having to pass additional taxes and fee increases onto their residents. In some cases, it could very well lead to a permanent reduction in local taxes and fees for many families.

“This past year has been difficult for everyone and in order to move forward, The General Assembly now needs to develop a budget that controls spending, lives within our means, and meets our needs. I look forward to working with my colleagues, as well as to governor to identify legislative solutions to help us recover from this fiscal, economic and health care crisis.”

For more information, please contact DeLuca’s constituent service office at 708-754-7900 or repdeluca@sbcglobal.net.