|
Flanked by several state lawmakers, Pritzker spoke on the city’s
South Side and said the mayor’s Equitable Employer Tax is not a
great way to provide revenue.
“It sends a signal. It's just the most direct signal to
employers. Don’t hire more people,” the governor said.
Johnson’s $17.6 billion budget proposal for 2027 includes a
monthly $25 per employee tax on employers with 125 workers or
more.
Pritzker said he’s not making news by not supporting the tax.
“What we really want is to make sure that more people get hired
and then, by the way, that provides tax revenue, that very
thing. We have income taxes in the state, and people will move
to Illinois or live in Chicago,” the governor said.
Johnson’s office did not immediately respond to The Center
Square’s request for comment on Pritzker’s remarks.
The mayor has said several times over the last two years that
Illinois owes CPS more than a billion dollars.
On Thursday, a reporter asked Pritzker about discussions for
more funding.
“That hasn’t really been an ongoing discussion. To the extent
someone wants to propose something, they can in the veto
session. I will say this, I think we all agree on one thing. We
need more funding for education in the state of Illinois,”
Pritzker said.
The governor said he increased public education funding by $3
billion a year.
“But as far as supplemental funding, I have not heard that there
will be a move to do that,” Pritzker said.
CPS enrollment has fallen by nearly 100,000 students over the
last 15 years.
“I am not certain that mid-year we’ll be able to do something
that will meet only one school district’s needs,” the governor
said.
Although enrollment at Illinois public schools dropped 10% from
2014 to 2024, Pritzker said more teachers are working in
Illinois than ever before.
Fall veto session is scheduled Nov. 17-19 and Dec. 1-3.
Pritzker said discussions about the next fiscal year will be
held from now until the end of May.
|
|
