State Representative Patrick Windhorst has served as the House Republican Floor Leader since the start of the 103rd General Assembly. The House of Representatives wrapped up its regular session work early Wednesday morning, with Windhorst casting a no vote on the FY 2025 budget citing the use of more than $1 billion in new taxes to pay for a record spending budget of more than $53 billion dollars.
”I am concerned with the way that the Democrats’ spending plan prioritizes appropriations for non-citizens to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars and at the same time increases taxes on individuals, working families, and businesses,” Windhorst said. “While I understand the state of Illinois faces budgetary pressures, I would have preferred a budget that prioritized tax cuts and spending cuts during this incredibly difficult financial time for taxpayers.”
The FY 2025 budget is contained in multiple amendments to two bills, SB 251 (budget) and HB 4959 (budget implementation). Expanding on his reasoning for voting against the FY 2025 budget, Windhorst says he and fellow Republicans were completely cut out of the budget negotiations.
“Our caucus represents more than four million Illinoisans, and their best interests are not represented in this budget,” Windhorst said. “Republicans have in the past brought forward ideas for property tax relief, ethics reforms, permanent reductions in spending for illegal immigrant spending, and incentives for job creators to come to and stay in Illinois. This budget raises taxes and spending and was put together behind closed doors with no input from the Republicans in either the House or Senate. I voted NO.”
