Illinois Revenue Alliance Statement on Passage of FY26 State Budget

Chicago - On May 31, the Illinois General Assembly passed the state budget for fiscal year 2026.  The following is a statement by the Illinois Revenue Alliance (ILRA), a broad coalition of community groups, service organizations, and labor unions, advocating for the state to pass new progressive revenue measures, instead of cutting vital programs that Illinois families need. 

During this budget cycle, ILRA members came together to collectively advocate for the programs our communities need and the revenue required to fund them - progressive revenue that comes from those most able to pay rather than overburdening low- and middle-income families. Members met with elected officials, sent hundreds of residents to Springfield, sent calls and emails to their legislators, and held rallies demanding state elected officials choose Illinois families over billionaires.

“At the start of the session, the conversation was largely focused on cuts as the only path forward. This budget takes some important steps in a different direction—including progressive corporate tax changes aimed at curbing profit-shifting and $28.7 million for wage increases in the Community Care Program, which is essential for stabilizing the workforce that supports Illinois seniors,” said Erica Bland with SEIU Healthcare IL. “There’s still a long way to go to fully fund, protect, and expand the vital programs our members and their families rely on, but these changes reflect meaningful progress that we hope to build on.”

The Illinois Revenue Alliance compiled a list of revenue solutions that would generate over

$6 billion in new revenue for the state annually. Of those, versions of taxing corporate offshore sheltered income and closure of additional corporate loopholes were incorporated into the budget, which are projected to generate $355 million annually. 

These are welcome developments and will help fund key programs and services. However, it is not enough to fully fund the programs and services our state needs. The elimination of healthcare coverage for immigrant adults is a step backward. At a time when access to care is more important than ever, we should be expanding—not cutting—coverage, especially for communities excluded from federal aid. Furthermore, critical investments, such as the child tax credit, must be significantly expanded to meet families' real needs.

“While Trump tries to force our state to comply with his hateful agenda, we in Illinois must double down on our commitment to preserving the programs that our communities rely on every day, and deepen investments for all people in our state,”said Lawrence Benito, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. “Our communities organized this session and won meaningful progressive revenue solutions but still saw vital programming cuts. Trump will only try to make our state cut even deeper. It is essential for members of the General Assembly and the Governor to pass the billions of dollars in additional revenue that the Illinois Revenue Alliance proposed. This will ensure families across our state have what they need to thrive.”

"This is a moment when working people are being told to settle for less, leaders in Illinois must choose to be bold,” said Shaddi Zeid, with the People’s Lobby. “Cuts to vital programs aren’t just numbers on a page—they're real losses for families, seniors, and children across Illinois. We can and must do better."

“Trump and his administration are tearing down everything they can, so in Illinois, we must build," added Heather Wills with Workers Center for Racial Justice. "Illinois has squeezed and cut from our communities for too long. As the Congressional budget reconciliation process continues to unfold—and the looming threats to Medicaid remain— the people of the state will stand with those leaders who heed our collective call for Illinois to live its values for equity and fairness, prioritizing the investments our communities so desperately need by asking the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share in this time of unprecedented uncertainty."

We have enough wealth in Illinois to ensure healthcare for everyone, education equity for all, transit for all, and to defend against federal cuts. The Illinois Revenue Alliance will continue pushing for bold revenue solutions to ensure a fair and thriving future for everyone in the state.

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Illinois Revenue Alliance Members and Endorsers Include: Asian American Midwest Progressives, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Chicago Jobs with Justice, Citizen Action/ Illinois, Chicago Teachers Union, Cook County College Teachers Union Local 1600, Grassroots Collaborative, Healthy Illinois Campaign, Hispanic Federation, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Illinois Partners for Human Service, Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, ONE Northside, PEER Illinois, Raise the Floor Alliance, SEIU Healthcare Illinois, Shriver Center on Poverty Law, The People’s Lobby, Workers Center for Racial Justice