WINNEBAGO COUNTY (WREX) — At Thursday’s finance and committee, Winnebago County took a stance against a proposed budget change in Illinois.

Governor JB Pritzker proposed a 10% cut to state income tax that gets sent out to local governments. While it would take a chunk out of the state’s deficit, it would but bodies like Winnebago County in a financial bind.

Chief Financial Officer Dave Rickert says the proposal would put the county at a $580,000 deficit.

12th District Board Member Jaime Salgado says the county only has two options to make up that gap: cutting staff members, or raising property taxes.

Rickert says if the county opted to raise property taxes, rates would go up a little over five dollars per tax payer.

However, Illinois State Senator Steve Stadelman is skeptical that the proposal will pass into the final budget.

“I think most lawmakers want to help their mayors,” Stadelman said. “They want to help their local cities. They don’t want to create more financial burdens on them. This will be reviewed thoroughly. I think it faces a pretty difficult road ahead.”

Stadelman went on to point out that this proposal could become a moot point. If the federal government passes another COVID-19 relief bill, Illinois could receive hundreds of millions in relief.

Even if that relief doesn’t come, this proposal still has a ways to go before it makes the final budget. Stadelman says that budget discussions will ramp up next month with a the state looking to pass a final budget in late May.