It’s that time of year again, where even having a column printed four times a week is both not enough space to keep up on everything happening in Springfield but also too slow to assess developments as they surface.

Capitol News Illinois reported Wednesday on the current known sticking points as budget negotiations ramp up. No one this year has made any proclamations as bold as Gov. JB Pritzker’s late May 2025 pledge against signing a budget if it relied income or sales tax increases and new sales taxes on exempted services, but it’s still good to see where the players are laying markers.

Still, many things change between my writing and your reading. Illinoisans should actually expect plenty of new information given Sunday’s legislative deadline. Heck, if you’re reading this with morning coffee you know to expect developments before you load the dishwasher and head to bed, let alone my next column Tuesday.

As such, we’re not going wading into the weeds on this specific budget – are there even enough details for informed speculation? – but this part of the cycle always invites discussion about broader issues on how the state generates revenue.

Republicans are adamant about clamping down on revenue streams, pushing to suspend the sales tax Illinois adds onto motor fuels (after the gas tax is calculated) while some Democrats have eyes on increasing revenues about $4 billion through steps like taxing digital advertising and eliminating job creation tax credits.

CNI’s Ben Szalinski noted some of the push for new revenue now could be an attempt to offset a deficit in fiscal 2028 – a February report suggested the figure might reach $1.5 billion – with at least one Democrat specifically targeting concerns toward uncertainty from Washington, D.C.:

“We think it’s unacceptable to sit on our hands and not begin to make progress to change our unfair tax system at a time where were being attacked by the federal government and at a time where the cost of living is choking families,” said state Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago. “We can’t wait to start to bring in progressive revenue.”

If not directly implied, that remark at least hints at a reality anyone writing a budget must confront: stuff just keeps costing more every year, which means if budgets stay flat, people and services get cut. Lawmakers don’t deserve blank checks, but neither are there oodles of expensive, unpopular programs ripe for eradication.

Wherever this year’s budget settles, as is true every year, some will argue it takes in too much and others will demand increased spending in future cycles. There’s no way to fully satisfy either camp, underscoring the importance of making sure government functions adequately for enough voters to strike balance.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.