Gov. Pritzker goes after Trump while unveiling state budget

The vibe: Very anti-Trump. While the federal government is auditing its spending, Pritzker lambasted the Trump administration's recent cuts for what he says is an "attack on working-class families."

What they're saying: "My oath is to the Constitution of our state and of our country," Pritzker said in the speech.

• "We don't have kings in America — and I don't intend to bend the knee to one. I am not speaking up in service to my ambitions, but in deference to my obligations."

Context: Pritzker, a Democrat who has both attacked and sued the Trump administration in recent weeks, is considered a rising national star in his party.

Zoom in: Pritzker's own budget office revealed a $3.2 billion deficit for 2026 in November, but the governor's office has since revised that to a $1.7 billion deficit.

• The budget calls for revenue to grow by almost 3% to offset the deficit, along with a slew of cost-cutting measures, like streamlining state purchasing and a freeze on new hiring.

Here are six takeaways from the governor's budget:

💵 Migrant money: One of the biggest cuts is health care for undocumented immigrants. Last year, the governor included over $600 million for benefits for immigrants ages 42-64 lacking legal status. This year, it's scratched.

• Last year's budget also called for $140 million to operate a migrant "welcoming center" in Chicago. This year, as the surge has dissipated, the amount is $40 million.

🎰 Tax incentives: Whether it's through the gas tax or casinos, the governor is looking to raise revenue by removing or reconfiguring tax breaks.

• Casinos (outside Chicago) would have table games taxed like slot machines. In 2019, a law gave the casinos tax breaks on table games when gambling was expanded. This could lead to an increase in minimum bets at blackjack and poker tables, for example.
• The motor fuel tax hike will stick around. The increase last year was considered temporary to combat inflation, but it is in this budget. The 47-cent tax is the nation's second-largest and is expected to generate over $170 million.

🗳️ Township consolidation: The governor wants to allow taxpayers to reduce the number of state governmental bodies; Illinois currently has the most of any state in the U.S.

• He is suggesting legislation that would make it easier for voters to decide how to consolidate services through ballot measures.

• This is an issue that the GOP has raised over the last decade, pointing to excessive property taxes to pay for township supervisors and other municipal employees.
• But this would not be an easy lift for lawmakers. Shutting down local municipalities will force layoffs and impact constituents.

🎓 Direct admissions: Pritzker wants to streamline the state's college admission process to reduce application fees.

• This move could be intended to counter the Trump administration's goal of eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, which would push most college admissions activity to the states.

📵 Cellphone ban in schools: Pritzker proposed banning cellphones in K-12 classrooms during instruction time. This has been governed district by district, but the governor signaled he wants it to be statewide.

🩺 Health care expansion: The governor announced several new protections for Medicaid and is pushing for full access to behavioral medicine, too. He also calls for $10 million to fund a reproductive rights hotline and more money to help reimburse out-of-state patients for travel.

The intrigue: Even though the state has a Democratic majority in both legislative chambers, last year's budget, which included tax increases, was not a slam dunk.

• Lawmakers narrowly approved it in the overnight hours on the last day of the spring session.

What's next: This is just a proposal. Budget negotiations will start in the state legislature, which will vote on a new budget before session ends in May.