Gov. Bruce Rauner has called 10 special sessions on the budget for the final days of the month. For the first time, he's publicly endorsed a specific set of tax increases to accompany the non-budget demands he's been making since he came into office. Does this represent real movement? Or is it just marketing?
In other news, three courts were involved in the budget crisis this week: the Fifth District Appellate Court, in southern Illinois, heard arguments over whether state workers should continue to be paid during the budget impasse. Meanwhile, a St. Clair County judge is considering whether to force the state to pay human service providers, who've been stiffed during the impasse. And the First District Appellate Court, in Chicago, rejected the claims of human service agencies in a separate but related case.
Sean Crawford hosts with regular panelists Charlie Wheeler and Brian Mackey, and guest Andrew Maloney of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
