Illinois Governor Pat Quinn presented his annual budget address March 26, proposing to make the state’s temporary income tax permanent in order to avert cuts to education and other areas.

Republicans, including State Senator Dave Luechtefeld (R-Okawville), are vowing to fight Quinn’s plan.

“The governor stood before the General Assembly and stated that he needed more money, even after he and the majority party levied a $26 billion tax increase on the public back in 2011,” Luechtefeld said. “The governor, house speaker and senate president all promised the tax increase would be temporary and was needed to pay down the state’s backlog of bills. A significant portion of that $26 billion was intended to be for education and higher education; however, those monies haven’t made it into the classroom.

“Five years later, Illinois is in worse shape than when Gov. Quinn took over. It is a bit of a stretch to assume that the governor and majority parties will do the right thing with a permanent tax increase. I hope the public sees this for what it is — a charade of the highest degree.”

Quinn’s budget also suggests repurposing two recently closed youth correctional centers as adult lockups to address “current corrections needs.” The Murphysboro youth center, which closed two years ago, could operate as a satellite minimum security facility within either the Pinckneyville or Menard correctional centers, the governor’s office said. The Joliet youth home could also be repurposed, according to budget office documents.

Quinn is being opposed by Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner in the November election.