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Quinn: IL. lawmakers
‘pretty close’ on budget
By CHRISTOPHER WILLS
And KAREN HAWKINS
CHICAGO (AP) | Gov. Pat Quinn said Saturday that lawmakers are “pretty
close” to passing a new state budget but offered no explanation for his
optimism or even why he now backs a budget that rejects his top legislative
priority: a tax increase.
Although Democratic leaders had hoped to pass a new budget by Friday, they
could not agree on how to address a $13 billion budget deficit. Lawmakers
ignored Quinn’s call to raise income taxes, rejected a plan to borrow billions
and couldn’t agree on major spending cuts.
Legislative leaders sent lawmakers home and promised to call them back into
session when they figure out how to proceed.
“We’re pretty close,” Quinn said. “I think it’s healthy to have a robust debate
and discussion this month on the budget, and ultimately they’ll be a vote,
certainly before the end of the month.”
The end of May marks the first key date for the budget. After May 31, passing
a budget would require a super-majority, meaning the Democratic majority
would need some Republican votes to take action. The most important date is
June 30, when the current budget expires.
The Senate approved a version of the budget Friday that depends largely on
delaying billions of dollars in payments the state is supposed to make in the
coming year. Money for troubled government pension systems would be
delayed, as would money for the businesses and community groups that
provide services on behalf of the state. And funds set aside for specific
purposes would be diverted to pay routine government costs.
But House Democrats refused to go along, even after huddling for hours with
Quinn. The Democratic governor and his staff have criticized the idea of
delaying the state’s $3.7 billion payment to pension systems. And Quinn has
repeatedly stressed the importance of a sound budget that pays the state’s
bills and fully funds education.
“The key for success this month is to have a budget that invests properly in
education,” he said. “The Legislature won’t be able to adjourn until we get that
goal accomplished.”
But Quinn seems to have embraced the Senate’s makeshift budget as the only
viable option. He said nothing Saturday about using the Legislature’s time-out
to renew his efforts to pass a tax increase.
Republicans — who have largely been shut out of the budget process and
refuse to support any Democratic proposals — argue that Democrats are set
on overspending while refusing to make the necessary cuts.
‘pretty close’ on budget
By CHRISTOPHER WILLS
And KAREN HAWKINS
CHICAGO (AP) | Gov. Pat Quinn said Saturday that lawmakers are “pretty
close” to passing a new state budget but offered no explanation for his
optimism or even why he now backs a budget that rejects his top legislative
priority: a tax increase.
Although Democratic leaders had hoped to pass a new budget by Friday, they
could not agree on how to address a $13 billion budget deficit. Lawmakers
ignored Quinn’s call to raise income taxes, rejected a plan to borrow billions
and couldn’t agree on major spending cuts.
Legislative leaders sent lawmakers home and promised to call them back into
session when they figure out how to proceed.
“We’re pretty close,” Quinn said. “I think it’s healthy to have a robust debate
and discussion this month on the budget, and ultimately they’ll be a vote,
certainly before the end of the month.”
The end of May marks the first key date for the budget. After May 31, passing
a budget would require a super-majority, meaning the Democratic majority
would need some Republican votes to take action. The most important date is
June 30, when the current budget expires.
The Senate approved a version of the budget Friday that depends largely on
delaying billions of dollars in payments the state is supposed to make in the
coming year. Money for troubled government pension systems would be
delayed, as would money for the businesses and community groups that
provide services on behalf of the state. And funds set aside for specific
purposes would be diverted to pay routine government costs.
But House Democrats refused to go along, even after huddling for hours with
Quinn. The Democratic governor and his staff have criticized the idea of
delaying the state’s $3.7 billion payment to pension systems. And Quinn has
repeatedly stressed the importance of a sound budget that pays the state’s
bills and fully funds education.
“The key for success this month is to have a budget that invests properly in
education,” he said. “The Legislature won’t be able to adjourn until we get that
goal accomplished.”
But Quinn seems to have embraced the Senate’s makeshift budget as the only
viable option. He said nothing Saturday about using the Legislature’s time-out
to renew his efforts to pass a tax increase.
Republicans — who have largely been shut out of the budget process and
refuse to support any Democratic proposals — argue that Democrats are set
on overspending while refusing to make the necessary cuts.