By Dave Dahl

FREEPORT – Gov. JB Pritzker insists he tries to be bipartisan – even though the votes for the budget were strictly from his party. Responding to a reporter’s question in Freeport Tuesday, the governor said he worked with Republicans to put together the state budget for the fiscal year which begins July 1.

Pritzker said a Republican priority was to cut the corporate franchise tax, a move small businesses would appreciate. Then, when it came time to vote, nobody made it a bipartisan show.

“On the Republican side, they often try to pick one or two things to point at and say, well, that’s the reason I didn’t” vote for the budget,” Pritzker said. “I’ve had press conferences about investing in our youngest children, investing in our universities, and guess what? Republicans show up at those press confs even though they may not have voted for the budget.

“I understand they are in favor of that funding, but, eventually, you’ve got to vote for the funding.”

That happened in Springfield last week – two local lawmakers, one Democrat and one Republican, voted No on the budget but were at a Pritzker event anyway.

The corporate franchise tax cut is $50 million. Pritzker has been on a statewide tour to show off the budget, which passed the General Assembly May 27.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]