Gov. Bruce Rauner says he and Democratic legislators have until midnight Sunday to reach a deal on both the state budget and his pro-business agenda. That's when the General Assembly is scheduled to leave town for the summer.
What happens after Sunday, the Republican governor wouldn't say.
But Rauner is reportedly ready to use his massive campaign fund to unleash a barrage of ads, aimed at getting the public on his side. He also says he's set to continue meetings all summer to get his way.
Another thing Rauner wouldn't say wouldn't say is exactly a deal would look like.
"We'll know by Sunday night," Rauner told reporters. "We'll either have a deal Sunday night or we won't, and anybody who says, 'Well, we didn't have enough time,' that's bologna. That's wrong. We had plenty of time."
Democrats, who control the General Assembly, are moving forward with a budget they admit is out of balance. They want a tax hike to mitigate cuts; Rauner says he'll only consider that if they pass some of his priorities, like a workers' compensation overhaul and a property tax freeze.
The legislative leaders met with Rauner this morning, and three of them left saying they're open to further negotiations.
"We're going to be willing to sit down and continue to talk and exchange ideas," Senate President John Cullerton said.
He wasn't sure it'd be by Sunday, though. And Steve Brown, a spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, says the meeting produced no new developments.
"It seemed like just a repeat of the talking points, the PowerPoint presentation that we've heard for months," he said.
Brown says Madigan will continue to work with the governor in a cooperative manner. But the governor's office immediately and publicly attacked Madigan for refusing to compromise.
Updated | May 29, 2015 — This story has been updated with comments from Senate President John Cullerton and a spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan.
