There's no clear path forward on a long-term budget solution for Illinois, and temporary solutions are murky too. As the stalemate in Springfield persists, Democrats are moving forward with an emergency spending plan, that would cover "essential" services through July. It would also keep state workers' paychecks coming for the next month.
It passed the House Thursday, and should easily clear the Senate next week, but not without loud protestations from Republicans, like House Minority Leader Jim Durkin who said to Democrats: "It is unadulterated B.S. of what you've done to this state year in and year out of the past 12 years."
Democrats, including Representative Jack Franks of Marengo, say Republicans accusations that the measure will put Illinois on a path toward a tax increase or unbalanced budget are not true. Franks says he's opposed to a tax increase. "What this bill is, simply, is a 30-day breather. That's all," he said. "This will not require a tax hike. This bill will not require more revenue than we already have. Let's be very clear on that."
Franks says the plan will make sure that Illinois' most vulnerable residents are protected. It would also cover salaries for state workers.
"A one-month funding plan gives us time to put our heads together, to behave like grown-ups, to responsible for the budget, for the full fiscal year," House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie said.
However, GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner has signaled he won't sign it, though he has not said he would veto it outright.
His office used the vote as an opportunity to publicly lash the Democratic House Speaker, Michael Madigan.
"Today, Speaker Madigan and the legislators he controls irresponsibly voted for yet another unbalanced budget plan," Rauner spokesman Lance Trover said in a statement. “We saw today that Speaker Madigan can force 70 legislators to join him in voting for an unconstitutional budget."
The temporary budget Rauner may be in a tricky spot politically. He has repeatedly said he'll do all he can to ensure workers get paid in full, and on time. But he's also on record saying he won't sign a temporary budget, which he has called "unbalanced" and "unconstitutional."
If Rauner uses his veto power to reject only a portion of the spending -- leaving employees' pay in place -- critics could paint him as heartless toward the elderly, disabled and poor.
State employees' salary situation is further confused by a pair of competing court rulings. A Cook County judge ruled early in the week that without a budget, there's no authority to pay workers. But a St. Clair County judge said Thursday that they can go out. The comptroller says she'll begin processing checks, but a longer court battle is likely ahead.
House Speaker Madigan and Gov. Rauner had the opportunity on Thursday morning to discuss some of these matters, as Illinois began its ninth day without a budget.
"I had a frank discussion with the governor and I gave him what I considered to be good solid advice," Madigan said later in the afternoon. "I'm not going to share it with you -- it was a private conversation. But we left on good terms."
They met a day after Rauner, on Wednesday, during a press conference publicly accused Madigan of standing in the way of compromise.
The Speaker says it's time for Rauner to move off of his long-term agenda, and focus on putting a spending plan in place. Madigan says he believes Rauner is trying to use a "divide and conquer" strategy against him, but that it isn't working.
