Statement: Rep. Rashid on Illinois’ Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget, Need for Serious Tax Reform & Renewed Investment in Our Communities

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Today, Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, released the following statement about the passage of the fiscal year 2027 Illinois budget:

 

“The FY27 budget makes some progress towards plugging the fiscal hole left by the Trump administration’s reckless gutting of federal services, but does not go far enough to address the systemic inequities in our state.

 

“There’s good in the budget: $350 million for K-12 education, $70 million for SNAP recipients, and $250 million for affordable housing. However, at a time when inflation and federal cuts are bleeding Illinois families dry, corporations continue to rake in record profits – while our state is beholden to an unfair tax system designed 50 years ago. 

 

“We passed the digital ads tax on Big Tech companies that have evaded paying their fair share. That is a significant step forward. However, Trump’s cuts to education, Medicaid, and other essential services will hit us even harder in FY28. We need to pass serious reform, including additional decoupling from federal tax giveaways and prioritizing a tax system that delivers property tax relief. 

“Only then will we have the resources to protect against future federal cuts, make the investments our communities deserve, and move our state forward.”