Report: Rauner to call special session
Thursday, Jun 15, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* NBC 5…
It’s been two weeks since the Illinois General Assembly adjourned — and more than two years since lawmakers have reached a budget compromise, and Wednesday NBC 5 has learned Gov. Bruce Rauner is expected call lawmakers back to Springfield for a Special Session next week.
The governor’s office says it will not comment, however sources tell NBC 5 Rauner will announce a Special Session to begin June 21 for every day through June 30th. The new fiscal year begins July 1st.
By the governor calling the Special Session — the lawmakers would be paid $111 each day as well as 39 cents per mile to and from Springfield. The Chicago Tribune has estimated that adds up to costing taxpayers approximately 40-thousand dollars a day.
June 21st is next Wednesday.
- J IL - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:16 am:
Not sure if the special session would solve anything really but it would be a nice if the politicians would voluntarily decline the per diem (would save some taxpayer money if they were allowed to do this).
- Taxpayet - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:17 am:
It’s a waste of money. They’ve been paid for over 2 years for a job thy didn’t do
- JPC - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:19 am:
Is it true that the cost of no budget is *at least* 2 mil per day in late fees alone?
- wondering - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:21 am:
A job they didn’t do? They have been doing their job….saying no to Rauner. Now if we can just get him to do his.
- Three-Finger Brown - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:21 am:
Not passing a budget by 7/1 will cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars. If spending $40k / day for 9 days even slightly increases the probability of that not happening, you do it.
- reddevil1 - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:23 am:
Nothing will get accomplished by doing this….and billionaire bruce knows it, this is his way of saying “Hey at least I tried”
- Can - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:23 am:
With respect, because a dollar is a dollar, but…
The $40,000 per day is not even a rounding error when you have a $14+ billion bill backlog. They would have to work for roughly 960 years without taking a day off to rack up $14+ billion in per diem.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:24 am:
With Blagojevich-like efficiency, he issues his latest demands.
- doggonit - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:26 am:
It’s hard to be optimistic about illinois, but this can’t hurt.
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:35 am:
They should open each day with a review of the Governor’s balanced budget legislation. If there is no such legislation, adjourn for the day.
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:35 am:
Well this so-called “continuous” session is working so well, why not try something else?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:36 am:
=== If there is no such legislation===
The GOP unveiled it yesterday. Try to keep up.
- Anon - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:36 am:
That’s another $400k down the commode.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:37 am:
No downside for Rauner.
Rauner now has bills he claims as his budget, the bills are starting in the House, forcing Madigan to act, and Rauner has $48+ million, the Raunertite State Party has $600+K, the Durkin Fund just got $850K…
Rauner has owned the Democrats for 2+ years in messaging. It hasn’t even been close. Rauner controls the messaging.
So, call special session.
Get 90% of what Rauner wants, or Rauner pummels Dems, day and night, 24/7/365 with tens of millions, to force the message of Rauner’s own failure off of Rauner.
Why wouldn’t Rauner force the issue here? Rauner, like every governor before him, is the big dog and can control s great deal. Rauner just does it without any regard to the betterment of Illinois, but to advance an agenda Raunef can’t get passed.
Rauner is winning again, and framing it as Rauner saving Illinois, and Dems sitting back and letting things burn.
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:39 am:
Also, make it clear that no school funding is passed until the tax increases and rest of the budget are signed. Can’t trust the Governor . He could veto all the rest of the package.
- Not It - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:40 am:
This only works if he has specific legislative language he wants them to approve.
- Chicago_Downstater - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:41 am:
@Can
Dang! That’s a very enlightening way to frame this. Thanks.
To the post:
I hate to waste the money on what looks like just a political ploy to me, but if there’s something going on behind the scenes that I don’t know about, then go for it.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:41 am:
===This only works if he has specific legislative language he wants them to approve===
Hmm. Check the bumped Post this morning.
- Curl of the Burl - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:41 am:
Not It - did you see Rich’s post yesterday about the 6 bills the Senate and House GOP caucuses dropped yesterday?
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:56 am:
===”A job they didn’t do? They have been doing their job….saying no to Rauner. Now if we can just get him to do his.”===
And how has that House Democratic strategy worked for the State of Illinois?
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 9:57 am:
Sorry, missed that the bills had been filed. Still don’t see that they balance in reality. But if the Governor and GA agree they balance, that is good enough for now. (Isn’t that how we got here?)
- Ghost - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:07 am:
Rauner runs bill, dems ammend it to what they want and pass it
- SAP - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:08 am:
==With Blagojevich-like efficiency, he issues his latest demands.== No, this is better. Blago used to call special session and have nothing for the legislature to vote on. At least Rauner has submitted a plan, even if it is awful cheeky to call it a compromise after filing the legislation without even sharing it with the other side of the aisle first.
- don the legend - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:30 am:
Yielding to those who know way more than me regarding the Speaker’s mastery of the process, is it safe to assume there is some risk to Rauner for calling a special session?
- Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:45 am:
“The Speaker’s mastery of the process”
That is a joke right?
Mastery of the process would be a balanced budget, growing economy, low unemployment, net population increases, high approval ratings etc.
There has been no mastery in the budget making process under Speaker Madigan’s leadership.
The mastery has been in his protection of his special interest groups
- Echo The Bunnyman - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 11:01 am:
OW… As always, spot on. For a guy that isn’t a career politician our Gov certainly is playing this hand like a master. Do you think Madigan while eating his apple today gives a moment of thought like, “Wow, the student has become the teacher.” Too bad it’s real lives they are messing with. They all have blame. Fix.This.Now.
- Markus - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 11:13 am:
If I’m MJM, I don’t take up the spending bills until the GOP files corresponding revenue bill(s) to support the spending package. Dem message is that GOP filed a spending package without a revenue package to support the spending. We’re waiting on the revenue bill(s) to evaluate them and determine whether the GOP budget plan is truly balanced or just a 4-year stop-gap plan. It’s doubtful a 4-year stop-gap plan can achieve bipartisan support; aka 71 votes.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 11:22 am:
== “Wow, the student has become the teacher.” ==
Still ain’t nothing moving in the House until MJM wants it to …
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 11:49 am:
===Still ain’t nothing moving in the House until MJM wants it to …===
That the whole point. It’s putting the onus, as best the governor can, on Madigan.
Think on this, Rauber is passively forcing Madigan, when the governor could show 30+ votes and allowing Republican sponsorship of the revenue increase within his plan.
Why won’t he?
(Tips cap to - Echo -)