Pritzker Touts Eight Consecutive Balanced State Budget

Governor J.B. Pritzker is highlighting what he calls a financial milestone for Illinois, as the state secures its eighth balanced budget in a row. Pritzker says Illinois is now in its best financial shape in decades, crediting improvements like upgraded credit ratings, shrinking pension debt, and a strengthened rainy-day fund. Lawmakers in the General Assembly approved a nearly 56-billion-dollar budget for fiscal year 2027 just yesterday. The new spending plan features fresh revenue sources, including taxes on prediction markets, cryptocurrency transactions, and digital advertising—a move aimed at keeping the state’s finances resilient.