Pritzker on Budget: "We're Going to Have to Watch and Wait"
Governor JB Pritzker signs a trade Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UK’s Consul General at the Statehouse Tuesday. (Photo: Governor’s office)
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With less than two months to go before the scheduled adjournment of the spring legislative session, Governor JB Pritzker opened up Tuesday on challenges in putting together a state budget.
Speaking to reporters at the Capitol following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with UK Consul General Richard Hyde focused on manufacturing in the energy, technology and life sciences sectors, Pritzker said instability in the markets, President Donald Trump’s tariff regimes, and what Pritzker called “chaos” in Washington, make for difficult budget planning.
“It’s hard to tell from one day to another. The level of confidence is not bolstered by what happened over the last week,” Pritzker said. “What we all understand, those that are responsible and want to pass a balanced budget, is that we’re gonna have to live this circumstance, the uncertainties of the federal government, everyday and watch how it turns out. We’re probably going to be living that even through the course of the fiscal year ahead. It may very well be that we’re going to have to come back at some point, depending on what the President does.”
During his annual budget address in February, Pritzker challenged members of the General Assembly to bring him specific cuts if they wanted to expand spending on a new program.
He said there haven’t been any takers on his challenge yet.
“I think there are many members of the legislature who don’t want to have to cut any programs and only want to have the ability to add,” Pritzker said. “I understand the desire to do that, but the reality is what it is. We have to balance the budget in the state. Revenues appear to be what we expected them to be, so we’re going to have to make it all work one way or another.”
Pritzker admitted the challenges were growing, especially with predicted budget deficits even before economic instability took hold in the past two weeks.
“This is, no doubt, one of the most challenging budget years,” he said “And its not because of a lack of revenue, that’s not something we’re seeing yet, but it is the reality that we just don’t know. We’re just going to have to watch and wait.”
