Despite his budget proposal cutting spending from the previous record-high year by less than $2 billion and touting a $120 million expected surplus, Gov. J.B. Pritzker maintains that Illinois is still in need of the $7.5 billion contained in President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief plan.

The Center Square asked Pritzker Tuesday whether he thinks it’s still necessary for the state to take the estimated amount proposed in the aid plan after he announced in his budget address that he’d balanced the current year’s books and expects a surplus next year as well.