Gov. Pritzker signed a bill last week to put $2.7 billion into the state’s unemployment trust fund. Republican lawmakers say that’s not enough. They wanted $4.5 billion to go back into the fund.
St. Sen. Sue Rezin of Morris says Pritzker and his Democratic allies in the legislature are using a one-time federal grant to set other priorities and pay for pork projects in their districts. She says there’s nothing wrong with the capital projects, but they shouldn’t be paid for from federal funds.
Rezin says the state’s employers will have to cover the unemployment insurance shortfall through higher unemployment taxes. She says 31 other states replenished their funds by using federal money and borrowing a year ago when interest rates were lower.
Democrats say the plan pays off $4 billion in debt. The entire amount received was $8.1 billion.