DeKALB – Governor JB Pritzker delivered his Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget proposal and State of the State address Wednesday during a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly.
Pritzker proposed approximately $104 million for NIU, about $26 million less than the university requested during a November 2025 Board of Trustees meeting.
In his opening, Pritzker gave his remarks on the 250th anniversary of the U.S. and the 50th anniversary of Black History Month.
“Two hundred and fifty years this democracy has stood – imperfect at times, struggling at others,” Pritzker said. “But always with pride in our people’s enduring aspirations to steer this nation toward unity, freedom and justice.”
Pritzker then began referencing Illinois Governor and NIU founder John Peter Altgeld, looking back at his previous state of the state addresses.
“I bring up Governor Altgeld’s words on the subject of equal rights to highlight one enduring human truth – injustice can become a genetic condition we bequeath on future generations if we fail to face it forthrightly,” Pritzker said.
EDUCATION
According to a document containing the FY27 operating budget, NIU’s total operating appropriation would be $104,698,300. The proposed funding ranks second among Illinois public universities, behind the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, which is set to receive $746 million.
Statewide, public universities have reached a 10-year enrollment high, with 44% of Illinois students attending tuition-free.
BUDGET
The proposed FY27 budget totals $118.9 billion in appropriations, with $56.1 billion projected in general fund revenues.
The university’s operating budget is supported through multiple revenue sources. In the FY27 Operating Budget, the total operating appropriation is estimated to be $104,698,300.
NIU has approximately $154,811,000 in capital projects managed by the Capital Development Board. The total ranks below the University of Illinois ($1,041,012,000) and Southern Illinois University ($314,188,000).
NIU’s estimated capital funds rank above both Eastern Illinois University ($145,402,000) and Northeastern Illinois University ($143,131,000) and reflect six projects that are currently in progress.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONFLICTS
Pritzker spoke about the conflicts Illinois experienced with the federal government. Pritzker said that Illinois has lost around $8.4 billion due to decisions made by the Trump administration, noting that federal cuts and policy changes have cost the state billions of dollars.
“Alongside many other states, Illinois is fighting more than 50 cases in court where the federal government is illegally confiscating money that has already been promised and appropriated by Congress to the people of Illinois,” he said.
Pritzker said discussions of the state’s FY27 budget must begin with restoring funds he argues were taken from Illinois.
“If you want to talk about our FY 2027 budget, you must first demand the return of the money and resources this president has taken from the people of Illinois.”
Pritzker then closed the address with a few remarks regarding past U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in Chicago.
“Over the last 12 months, I’ve heard love start to shout here in Illinois,” Pritzker said, “I heard it from the bicyclists who showed up in Little Village every day during Operation Midway Blitz to buy out tamale carts so the vendors could return to the safety of their homes.”
The proposed budget now moves to the Illinois General Assembly, where lawmakers are expected to debate revisions in the coming months before a final budget is approved later this year.
