Chicago City Wire

Forgive Matthew Podgorski, chairman of the Northwest Side GOP Club, for having a difficult time not rolling his eyes when the topic of the Illinois budget is raised.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has resisted calls for spending cuts, even as Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, like Pritzker a Democrat, has announced a 5 percent reduction in state spending. 

On April 15, Pritzker said general revenue funds estimates are down $2.7 billion in fiscal year 2020 and $4.6 billion in fiscal year 2021 due to the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s one thing, Podgorski told Chicago City Wire.

Then, when Pritzker said he isn’t even considering delaying or canceling hefty pay increases for state employees, even at the cost of $261 million, it was just too much for the puckish Podgorski.

“I think elected officials and government employees are intellectually, socially, morally, and professionally superior to non-elected officials and non-government employees,” he said in response to questions from Chicago City Wire.

Podgorski said the governor should dig deeper into people’s pockets on behalf of state workers.

“I do not think there should be any cuts to public spending. There should be an increase, actually,” he said, tongue firmly in his cheek. “Let the private sector businesses and average citizens take the full financial burden of this pandemic. They are the ones that have been enjoying the benefits and graces provided by the superior class government workers for a long time. It’s time they paid back the government class and showed some gratitude.”

Podgorski said he hopes people understand why deep discontent with the current political climate in Illinois drove him to this length. That’s why he responded in this fashion.

“They were 100 percent sarcastic but feel free to mention in the article that my responses were definitely sarcasm, and meant to reflect my frustration with the way things are,” he said.

Podgorski might have offered sarcastic comments but he is dead serious about trying to bolster the Republican Party in and around Chicago.

He served as campaign chairman for Chicago Police Sgt. Ammie Kessem, who was elected on March 17 as the 41st Ward Republican committeewoman. Kessem said she owes a lot of her success to Podgorski’s ideas and effort.

She told Chicago City Wire in March that “Matt had a vision and that was to have a real conservative Republican organization on the northwest side of Chicago.

Podgorski credited old-fashioned political work.

“The Northwest Side GOP Club knocked on every single Republican door at least twice. We sent out a series of consistent communications explaining why it is so critical that the right leadership is in place for the Republican Party,” he said then. “We worked hard, raised money and we had the right message.”

Podgorski wants to have “a solid precinct captain” in every single precinct in all four wards (38, 39, 41, 45) and Norwood Park Township, and then reap the benefits on Nov. 3.

“Our electoral goals for 2020 are to make sure Brad Stephens wins the 20th District House seat,” he said. “We want to put Jeff Muehlfelder and Anthony Beckman in a strong position to flip House 19 and Senate 10 from blue to red. We will support Pat O’Brien for state’s attorney against Kim Fox, and Mark Curran against Dick Durbin for U.S. Senate.”

Podgorski also hopes for success on the national level.

“We hope to carry the 41st Ward and Norwood Park Township for President Trump,” he said.

On that matter he is very serious.