>> State lawmakers have a lot on their plate this month with the spring legislative session coming to a close at the end of May.

The clock is ticking to approve a budget deadlines are approaching to get constitutional amendment referenda on the November ballot and affordability is front of mind for many as bills on mega projects.

Zoning reform make their way through the capital.

Joining us now, our state representative and speaker pro Tempore can Buckner a Democrat whose district covers parts of Chicago's South side, including Bronzeville High Park in the South Loop.

And state representative and House Minority Leader Todd Tony Macomb be a Republican whose district covers the far northwest corner of Illinois, including Byron and Galena Representatives.

Welcome back.

Thanks for joining us.

So in February, Governor JB Pritzker proposed a 56 billion dollar budget for the state in fiscal year.

2027 beginning July.

1st, some have called this a maintenance budget because of its minimal increases.

So compared to 2026, the governor proposed a 1.6% increase over all and a half percent increase outside of the required areas.

Representative Macomb, be over to you first.

How does this level of spending serve Illinoisans?

>> Well, it doesn't.

And it's to be a maintenance budget.

It would be a flat budget.

And this had 728 million dollars proposed increases.

So to me it would have to be a flat and you can't keep doing this every year as you're the governor and not and not expect increased spending.

Representative Buck nurse in question.

>> Yeah, for many of my colleagues said that this is a ballooning budget for the truth.

Is a blow close when has no anchor, this budget and the budget that we passed will be maker, but it is what it anchored in schools, a Cardinal health pensions, public safety, human services and the cost of keeping the promises they teammate people.

So this is a part of what we have to do to invest in our state and some people were going fine tune this and make sure that the final product is what the people deserve.

>> Representative buck to revenue estimates through March showed that the state has brought in 1.5 billion dollars more than this time last year.

Does that change your approach to budgeting at all?

>> It doesn't got to be smart.

Going to be prudent.

We can't make reactions based on some of the numbers that we get back.

We have to make sure that we maintain that are true for us.

And for House Democrats.

That means that our approach has to be to protect working families, to meet our obligations, to invest in growth and to be honest about the tradeoffs are.

And so that's good news and we welcome it.

But we can't let this send down.

The path unsustainable.

>> Representative Ako B, what are these revenue estimates tell you about the budget?

>> Well, we see those fluctuate often.

So it's not surprising that you see it, but also in the next one, you might see it the last.

And I'm glad to hear that Democrats are anchoring the budget on, you know, the most vulnerable and what's important.

However, there always is and continue to be pork projects that are strictly typically and Democrat districts.

And I don't think we can afford any let along.

Justin Democrat districts.

>> So again, Governor Pritzker, he has suggested social media companies that they might be able to provide more revenue.

Let's listen to that.

I propose.

>> A social media platform fee that will generate 200 million dollars per year to support K 12 education, parents and kids deserve to have better funded schools.

social media giants are going to feed off of Illinois families, they ought to support Illinois families.

>> Representative Macomb be do you think these social media platforms in the right place to look for generating revenue?

>> I'm not sure.

I don't know how they're going to get this maneuver.

And I think this was an idea that originally came from the mayor of Chicago and yet to put forth.

I do agree with the governor that certainly there are social media matters preying on children and actually quite honestly preying on Democrats and Republicans.

So.

>> I mean it can be a very dangerous thing.

And I look forward to, you know, seeing some of that legislation about how we tax them.

>> I'm not sure that's even have a possible way to do that.

Representative Buckner.

>> and the other things that we're going to look at this year for revenue have to be smart to have to be intentional.

You have to be targeted.

They have to be balance.

May have to not be built on the backs of the people we represent.

And so I'm open for any conversation that approaches things that way that ties the weights more ways to take burden south of the people we represent.

And I think that these are healthy conversations for staff.

>> Then there is the so-called millionaires tax, a proposed constitutional amendment to tax income over a million dollars has not been brought up in the House for a Might not make it onto the ballot in November as well.

Represented Buckner.

Would you make of that?

>> It's a very clear about this.

I think we have to find a way to make sure that all folks in the state are paying their fair share.

We're not doing it progressed but have also been very clear about is when begin to push for constitutional amendments around, fair share things like that.

We've got to be able to tell the story on what we're going to have the money and why we can be trusted with it and why it has to make sense.

Right?

And so I think the opportunity to put this on the ballot was something that I was excited about to hear from.

The people of Illinois were doing this the right way.

I don't know where this is going to but we're approaching this once again.

We're prudence deliverance which is that the right way to do it?

>> Representative B, do you think this issue is going make it onto the ballot November?

>> No, I Don, I think it would have to hit the house last week.

We have I believe it's a 3rd deadline.

So it's not going to hit the House and the Senate.

So for sure, this is one that I think we'll have to wait.

Thankfully, but we still have the constitutional amendment for the redistricting that is very concerning and should be very concerning for the state.

Okay.

So let's get into that because there is a separate ref ref or it could ask voters about amending the article of the state Constitution having to do with redistricting.

>> Representative Buckner, what would that amendment change?

>> So it puts some things in our constitution about the way that these districts are drawn.

He respects what the voting rights axis today about condition contiguous districts and making sure that we are respected for really long fight in this country around voting.

It's all right.

So communities simply committee's Republican pick representatives who represent them.

This is a big deal because we are preemptively looking at what may happen.

Supreme Court decides on what's going on with the Voting Rights Act and again, this is our opportunity 2 in trying to our constitution, some guardrails to to do this the right way and not the piece meant.

I know that there are questions about it.

There some concerns, but this is the way that this should be working.

You put up front, let the people decide you come back.

You figure before.

>> Representative Macomb be what concerns you have about this potential amendment.

>> Well, the wait is right now is not being followed.

And in my opinion, you're supposed to be doing it based on population at compact and contiguous.

And we have roughly 52 districts in the state of Illinois right now, House districts that are not meeting that that the Supreme Court has already weighed in on in the early 80's.

What should be on the constitutional amendment question should be do you want a fair and independent map, the party in control, whether it's a Democrat or Republican should not be determining our lines.

That's how you get on a fair map and to add racing to it above.

You know, now you go and 5 tiers take the train and 2 more and to bring race into it.

I think it is asking for some trouble and also think you're going to some constitutional questions on it.

>> So at the House passed a mega projects bill last week that would allow developments like a potential Bears stadium to negotiate tax rates while contributing to a property tax relief fund representative become.

We do expect this bill will provide meaningful property tax relief.

Yeah, I think it certainly can.

>> And you know that the Bears obviously spurred this mega projects on it.

I know it can just can't wait to talk about it.

He's been working pretty it.

You know, there's some clarifying language that certainly needs to be put in place in the Senate.

And I hope that that gets done whether or not it's this week or when we go back next week is a is a better question.

But, you know, we have to remember, especially as Republicans, this is about local control of the locals.

Don't want economic development and people to come into their communities and do this.

They don't have to.

I think that's one of the things that is really being messed.

Our midst communicated out and the and the state.

But we have a real opportunity to grow our state.

And I think this could be a pass to do it.

Representative Bachmann, the Bears have already indicated they want to see changes with this bill.

What would a path forward look like?

>> Well, as I think we've already our way on this path put together a bill that has the things that that they've talked about.

Another.

This is around the state have talked about wanting But we were told was that the Bears want property tax certainty.

We also have been told our constituents that they want some property tax relief and we dare to believe that we can do both of those.

At the same time, we can do it in a bipartisan And so we did that last week.

And we're really part of that work.

I agree with Leader McConnell.

There are some things that Senate could add to the conversation.

going to give them their space to do their work and welcome section of do that.

I think we're moving in the right direction.

Think it was a strong indication that the took this by the horns and have, you know, ever really begin to put us in position where we stop this conversation and move towards some actual shovels in the ground.

>> Representative Buckner, you and the governor, you've supported statewide housing reform for building housing.

What is your goal for zoning reform?

>> We're here is got a boost back is called the Biltmore Program, which is about cutting the red tape, speeding up housing state of for would be able afford ability and access and getting people into homes and homeownership.

We can't go back to the old way of keeping people from getting because of arbitrary lot size issues or concerns on issues only a lot.

Scientists don't matter.

There's a way to do this in a way they keep Illinois moving, keeps invested in growth and development and pushing in the right direction.

So what we were trying to do with this package is create a system, a statewide system here we do over housing prices and that it becomes easy.

faster, safer and cheaper to build here in Illinois.

>> Representative, come to what do you think can address rising housing costs?

>> Well, I'm a little bit of a pickle on this particular topic because, you know, the realtors are supportive of this and I'm a realtor.

However, on the opposite end of this because I want to put my mayor had on local control and and this goes completely opposite that they say this isn't a mandate on locals to have these accessory units, but it absolutely is because it does not prohibit it so we can't have a one size fits all and we can't continue You know, the mega project gives local control.

And now here we're taking it away again.

Whether it's for solar projects at in counties and municipalities or now.

Here we are trending again on home rule and local authority.

And I think we're really going the wrong direction.

You want to help with housing affordability, ability issues that we have in the state, lower property taxes and that is on the state.

The state continues to pass mandate after mandate giving our locals no choice but to raise taxes.

Okay.

A lot for all of you and your colleagues to to work on in these next few weeks.

Thanks you both for fitting U.S.

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