Simply minutes earlier than a vital midnight deadline Saturday night time, Illinois state lawmakers accepted a $55.2 billion state finances plan for the subsequent fiscal 12 months. However whereas the Illinois Senate superior a measure to overtake and supply a whole bunch of tens of millions of {dollars} in funding for the Chicago space’s mass transit system, the Illinois Home did not take it up earlier than adjourning its spring session.
The state finances plan unveiled Friday night time by Democratic management would come with new taxes on playing in addition to tobacco and vape merchandise.
One other supply of recent income within the finances proposal is a delinquent tax fee incentive program. This system is designed to assist the state recuperate overdue tax funds. This system was proposed by Gov. JB Pritzker and is estimated to generate about $198 million in income.
A well being care program that gives advantages to undocumented immigrants in Illinois between the ages of 42 and 64 additionally seems to be eradicated. Pritzker proposed eliminating this system to save lots of the state $330 million.
The proposed finances additionally gives $307 million in further funding for Okay-12 faculties, however doesn’t embrace $43 million in property tax aid funds referred to as for beneath the state’s evidence-based college funding mannequin.
The finances proposal didn’t embrace any new gross sales, revenue, or service taxes.
The Home handed the $55 billion spending plan shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday, transferring the measure over to the Senate. Lawmakers nonetheless should go the income package deal to fund the spending plan, and in addition nonetheless should go the “finances implementation” invoice, which legally authorizes numerous packages and companies inside the finances.
As Democrats rushed to go the ultimate 2026 finances deal the day after it was unveiled, Illinois Senate Republicans expressed their frustrations with the Democratic-led finances course of.
“In lower than 9 hours, the Democrats are going to file over $1 billion in tax will increase. The general public usually are not going to see it till it’s filed. They’ll go it by the Home and go it by the Senate,” Illinois Senate Republican Chief John Curran mentioned.
Gov. JB Pritzker applauded the passage of the invoice throughout a press convention Sunday morning.
“The finances was centered from begin to end on the individuals of Illinois,’ Pritzker mentioned,” I am very proud to say we delivered for them on this finances.”
Meantime, Chicagoans even have been keeping track of additional state funding for the world’s mass transit systems.
Transit officers have mentioned the Regional Transportation Authority system is dealing with a $771 million budget deficit in 2026, and if state lawmakers do not provide you with that funding by this summer season, the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, and Tempo should begin laying out plans for service cuts of as much as 40% for subsequent 12 months.
Democratic lawmakers’ present funding plan for mass transit would impose a $1.50 tax on deliveries like Amazon, Grubhub, and Uber Eats, a ten% tax on rideshare journeys, and add a brand new tax to cost electrical automobiles.
With the cash going to assist principally mass transit in Chicago, DePaul College professor and transportation knowledgeable JoeSchwieterman mentioned suburban taxpayers may not use what they’re paying for.
“Income sources, taxes aren’t simple to swallow for lots of suburban governments; you realize, experience, share taxes, tollway charges. And the newest information suggests that is going to be a really treacherous effort,” he mentioned.
The mass transit funding laws additionally would overhaul the structure and governance of the Chicago area’s mass transit systems, changing the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees the budgets for CTA, Metra and Tempo, with a brand new group referred to as the Northern Illinois Transit Authority.
Whereas the Chicago space’s mass transit techniques are funded by the top of the 12 months, and there’ll probably be a fall veto session that would present one other shot at an Eleventh-hour rescue, transportation officers mentioned with out funding ensures for 2026 in place by this summer season, they will have to start out laying out the precise cuts subsequent week to organize for any potential service reductions subsequent 12 months.
“We want transit reform, we’d like to verify we’re addressing the wants of commuters, not simply within the metropolis of Chicago, in Cook dinner County … however all throughout the state,” Pritzker mentioned.
He added, “There’s vital work that’ll have to be completed over the summer season and into the autumn to verify it will get throughout the road.”
The CTA has said with out the minimal funding it’s in search of from the state, it might be pressured to get rid of some or all service on at the least 4 of its eight rail strains, shut or dramatically cut back service at greater than 50 rail stations, and get rid of 74 of 127 bus routes beginning subsequent 12 months. The CTA has not but mentioned which particular ‘L’ and bus strains and ‘L’ stops could be affected.
In the meantime, Metra has mentioned it must get rid of all early morning and late night trains, cut back weekday practice service to at least one practice per hour on every route, and minimize weekend practice service to at least one practice each two hours on every route. Tempo could be pressured to get rid of all weekend service and all weekday service after 8 p.m.
“I believe proper now, there’s broad understanding that we will not have these draconian 40% cuts. I imply, it simply could be very painful, disruptive for the town. The economic system would actually endure on the similar time,” Schwieterman mentioned. “We have now to forestall that, as a result of the ache that is going to trigger coming into summer season and all these issues is admittedly going to hit our area exhausting.”
Schwieterman mentioned with out a good transit system, visitors on the highways goes to develop.
“We have already got a congestion drawback, so I believe even drivers acknowledge that now we have to maintain these trains operating for high quality of life,” Schwieterman mentioned. “I believe, although, the place it will get difficult is you get to areas the place that transit system is much less seen to individuals on a day-to-day foundation, and that reality is not as evident to them.”
Whereas lawmakers might come again in the summertime or fall to handle funding for mass transit, it is going to now require a 3/5ths majority to go any deal that may take impact earlier than June 1, 2026, quite than a easy majority.
Ben Szalinski and Jerry Nowicki of Capitol Information Illinois contributed to this report.
The video above is from an earlier report.
