Are they really “very close”?
Tuesday, Apr 25, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Democratic Sen. Scott Bennett in his local media…
The Senator was asked whether he is optimistic about a new state budget as lawmakers return to Springfield. ‘’Not as optimistic as I was,’’ said Bennett.
‘’I’ll be back first thing Tuesday morning. The Governor was here locally and was telling people we’re really close, and he’s meeting with all these people in the Senate. I’m on the Budget Committee and I’ve talked to the chairman of the Budget Committee, and there’s been no conversation with them. So whether these are conversations just with the Republicans that have a super minority in the Senate, or whether the Governor has been misinformed, we want these meetings. We want these to take place,’’ says Senator Bennett. ‘’And frankly there’s no excuse. The last two weeks there was a break from Springfield. There should have been people meeting every single day,’’ added Bennett during comments at Danville Area Community College Monday evening.
* Meanwhile, Gov. Rauner told a St. Louis TV station that a school funding reform bill could be ready in the next few weeks…
[The plan from the two parties are] not dramatically different. I’m pretty optimistic that the two parties can come together in the General Assembly and iron out their differences and we can get one bill and I’ll be able to sign the bill. I think we can get it done in the next few weeks.
* Sen. Andy Manar’s online response…
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 9:53 am:
Considering the Grand Bargain was looking at a 4.99 tax rate and Rauner is telling people he wants a balanced budget with no tax increase, just how “close” are they?
- Earnest - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 9:57 am:
>The Governor was here locally and was telling people we’re really close, and he’s meeting with all these people in the Senate. I’m on the Budget Committee and I’ve talked to the chairman of the Budget Committee, and there’s been no conversation with them.
Another fertile area for an opposition party to put out a simple, clear, cohesive message that will resonate as various candidates pick it up. Lots of areas to attack on what he says versus what happened. It they don’t get a few messages to resonate, they’ll just get lost in the plethora of advertisements and weak news coverage.
- Rod - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 9:57 am:
It would be easy for Governor Rauner to sign the school funding reform bill, be it HB 2808 or SB 1, or yet another variation proposed by Republicans. Its easy because it appropriates zero money, and even though over the next ten years the State would be obligated to pump over $3 billion more a year into k-12 education based on the bills there is right now little chance that will really happen.
- Henry Francis - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 9:58 am:
Yah, they are as close to a deal as Trump’s armada is to North Korea.
It’s spaghetti against the wall for the Guv.
- winners and losers - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 10:10 am:
SB 1 and HB 2808 change nothing without very substantial NEW money, except they would give local school districts absolute local control of how they spend State funds.
- anon2 - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 10:18 am:
He means they would be close to a deal in the Senate, but Madigan…
- Huh? - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 10:20 am:
Are these conversations that 1.4% is claiming to have anything like the election night calls to the Speaker and Senate President?
- Joe M - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 10:32 am:
It sounds like the Governor is indicating he will sign another K-12 budget even though there is no overall budget? Yet he says he will veto any stopgap money for higher ed and social services because that would take the pressure off enacting a full budget. But won’t funding K-12 also take the pressure off enacting a full budget?
- cdog - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 10:40 am:
Why does Rauner say these things?
“…we’re really close, and he’s meeting with all these people in the Senate.”
It’s kind of like the rating downgrades; I guess words can hit junk ratings, too.
- Sue - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 10:41 am:
I am a true Rauner supporter but these pronouncements are starting to sound Trump like
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 10:43 am:
Rauner has gone from OODA Loops to Whack-a-Mole.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 10:45 am:
When both… both… Leader Radogno and President Cullerton say “we’re close” and say the next day, in front of microphones, “we have agreement”… and Rauner lets it fly…
… “Then!”…
… then they will be “close”
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 10:52 am:
===But won’t funding K-12 also take the pressure off enacting a full budget?===
So would opposing Lisa Madigan’s State Employee Pay Lawsuit…but, you know…
- Jocko - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 11:00 am:
==[Bruce] means they would be close to a deal in the Senate, but Madigan…]==
Never mind the tire marks from Sen. Radogno being thrown under the bus by him last month.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 12:14 pm:
They’re very close to a balanced budget proposal without tax increases, that thing the other governor guy says Illinoisans deserve?
- ILGOV2018 - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 12:53 pm:
The Governor was here locally and was telling people we’re really close, and he’s meeting with all these people in the Senate. I’m on the Budget Committee and I’ve talked to the chairman of the Budget Committee, and there’s been no conversation with them. So whether these are conversations just with the Republicans that have a super minority in the Senate, or whether the Governor has been misinformed, we want these meetings.
Hasn’t this been the problem from the very beginning?
- winners and losers - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 4:24 pm:
http://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/money-woes-for-illinois-schools-turn-allies-into-foes/
Phil Kadner on special education, school funding, and SB 1 and HB 2808.