Dave Nayak: Gov. JB Pritzker has learned nothing from presidential election’s wake-up call

Commentary from Dr. Dave Nayak

The results of the presidential election were shocking, not just because of Donald Trump’s landslide victory, but also because of the seismic shift in the electorate. Almost every demographic moved to the right; most strikingly, the working class and minority voters abandoned the status quo in masses.

This should have been a neon warning sign for Gov. JB Pritzker. Yet, he continues to use divisive rhetoric instead of tackling the real issues Illinoisans face daily.

In 2023, Illinois ranked dead last in economic racial equality in America. According to WalletHub’s annual study, Illinois has the highest inequality in home ownership, income and unemployment gaps.

Let that sink in. Illinois Democrats have controlled the governor’s office and held supermajorities in both legislative chambers for years, yet we rank last in economic racial equality. And the governor’s response? Silence, platitudes and business as usual. 

Despite funneling billions of dollars into the Chicago Public Schools system, Pritzker and his allies appear unfazed by the bleak outcomes. Even with spending of about $30,000 per student, Illinois children’s math and reading scores continue to suffer. Last year, Democrats killed the Invest in Kids Act, a lifeline for low-income students to escape their failing schools and attend a better school of their choice. 

Would you allow your child to be in CPS? If money wasn’t an issue, most would say no. Pritzker believes families should accept the hopelessness of being forced to send their child to a failing school system. Every child deserves a quality education, not empty promises and failed policies.

Taxes, taxes, taxes. Illinoisans are slammed with some of the highest gas, sales and property taxes in the nation. Who gets hit the hardest? The wealthy? Nope. It’s working families, the poor and those struggling to make ends meet. These are the Illinoisans who feel the pinch of each additional cent Pritzker extracts from their wallets.  

Over the last decade, Illinois has seen some of the greatest population losses in the country. Black and Latino families are leaving Illinois in masses because they simply cannot afford to stay.

Pritzker has ignored the grossly unfair property tax system. Minority and low-income homeowners often pay property tax rates that are higher than wealthy residents. For example, a homeowner in Harvey pays nearly four times the tax rate compared with a homeowner in Winnetka. This is not just a statistic, it’s an anchor. And it’s holding back economic development, home ownership and any hope of revitalizing communities.

Our poorest areas in Illinois are besieged with crime. Pritzker has destabilized the public safety system, and our brave law enforcement members feel it. Victims of crime are vilified, while criminals are protected. Nobody should be forced to live in fear in their own neighborhood, but Pritzker offers little more than a shrug. 

The crisis at the southern border has cost Illinois too much. Pritzker vows to do everything to protect immigrants — which means more state spending. Why is he putting Illinoisans last?

The groups that chose a new national direction are the same groups of people Pritzker has consistently failed in our great state of Illinois. A real leader stands up and implements policies that work for everyone — not just the elite and political insiders. And, with more than two years left on his second term, Pritzker must start to improve the lives of all Illinoisans, or maybe it’s time for a change. 

Instead of taking the 2024 presidential election as a call to do better, Pritzker apparently views it as his golden ticket to the White House. He should have seen it as a reason to take a long, hard look in the mirror.

The groups that chose a new national direction are the same groups of people Pritzker has consistently failed in our great state of Illinois. A real leader stands up and implements policies that work for everyone — not just the elite and political insiders. And, with more than two years left on his second term, Pritzker must start to improve the lives of all Illinoisans, or maybe it’s time for a change. 

Instead of taking the 2024 presidential election as a call to do better, Pritzker apparently views it as his golden ticket to the White House. He should have seen it as a reason to take a long, hard look in the mirror.