CHICAGO — Gov. JB Pritzker signed the recently passed 2023 state budget into law, which includes direct checks to Illinois families.
Pritzker signed the budget at a 10 a.m. event Tuesday at Chicago State University where he also discussed many of the perceived benefits to Illinoisans at a time he is running for reelection.
The budget comes from a freeze on the motor-fuel tax, a year-long hiatus on grocery sales taxes, a per-household property tax reimbursement of up to $300 and an increased tax credit to the low-income working families.
The law will:
- Suspend the state tax on groceries for one year, starting July 1.
- The gas tax will be frozen until January.
- Property tax rebates will be doubled.
- Taxes on school supplies will be frozen during peak times this fall.
- Direct checks will be sent to some families equaling $50 for an individual and $100 per child.
- The earned income tax credit would be permanently expanded.
Illinois residents making less than $200,000 per year or $400,000 per year for couples filing jointly qualify for the direct checks. Each taxpayer will receive $50, plus $100 for each dependent child, capped at three.
The budget also includes more than $200 million for new public safety initiatives answering Republican criticism that Democrats were not doing enough to address rising crime.
It also puts $1 billion into a state “rainy day” fund. It goes into effect on July 1, the start of the state’s fiscal year.
Watch the entire budget-signing event in our video below.
