* Press release…
Speaker Michael J. Madigan issued the following statement Monday:
“For nearly two years, families in our communities have lost critical services as a result of the budget impasse. Educators, social service agencies and countless others have warned that Illinois will be dealing with the consequences of this impasse for many years to come. In the years preceding this impasse, we were paying down the backlog of unpaid old bills and had the bill backlog down to $4.5 billion. The bill backlog today stands at over $13 billion due to the lack of a state budget. The state’s backlog has tripled, and bond rating agencies have made it clear that the lack of a state budget weighs foremost in their minds when evaluating Illinois’ financial standing. For these reasons and due to the impact this impasse is having on every Illinoisan, House Democrats have been resolute in our belief that all legislators and the governor must recognize the budget as the most important issue facing our state.
“While we stand firm that the budget – and the budget alone – must be our top priority, it is also our desire to work cooperatively with the governor. To this end, I am appointing Representatives Barbara Flynn Currie, Lou Lang, Arthur Turner and Jay Hoffman to work with the governor to identify areas of his agenda where compromise can be reached. The House has taken action on several of the governor’s requests, and this group will be able to discuss his further proposals and consider how they would affect the state.
“It is our strong desire that Governor Rauner join us in putting the budget first. By showing the governor that House Democrats stand ready to work with him in good faith, it is my hope that he will return to the negotiating table and work with us to end the budget crisis.”
Looks to me like he’s trying to get out in front of something. Maybe it’s the Senate’s progress. Maybe it’s internal caucus pressure. Maybe both.
- Anonymous - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:08 am:
If it is internal pressure, it could signify a formation of a spine, which is way long overdue - hopefully it’s contagious. If it is, I wouldn’t assume it’s based on conviction to do right as much as fear of electorate rather than Madigan payback. Maybe a change along those lines in the making.
- PJ - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:09 am:
That’s a group that tends to have the respect of most Republicans. No Greg Harris is interesting.
- Anonymous - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:14 am:
If Dems had and marketing strategy, they would run with this: “In the years preceding this impasse, we were paying down the backlog of unpaid old bills and had the bill backlog down to $4.5 billion.” What changed? A gov who has no business sense.
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:18 am:
Lou Lang
“There will be no full, actual, traditional budget until Rauner leaves office”
Reporting for duty to negotiate a budget, what could go wrong?
https://capitolfax.com/2016/05/18/its-certainly-a-possibility/
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:21 am:
===“There will be no full, actual, traditional budget until Rauner leaves office”
Reporting for duty to negotiate a budget, what could go wrong===
Blown up Senate Bargains…
Rep. Lang - 0
Governor Rauner - 1
Anything else? lol
- King Louis XVI - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:23 am:
–No Greg Harris is interesting.–
Harris has been tasked with the budget. The others are tasked with “areas of his agenda” i.e. non-budget.
- Texas Red - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:24 am:
With a 61% disapproval rating this makes sense !
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:25 am:
Except the Grand Bargain is not blown up. There have been continuing negotiations for two months.
Do you deliberately try to deceive to are you just uninformed?
- Rich Miller - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:26 am:
===There have been continuing negotiations for two months===
No.
Two weeks is more like it.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:28 am:
===Except the Grand Bargain is not blown up. There have been continuing negotiations for two months===
Nope. Sen. Brady taking control of the new points made rid nothing more than Grand Bargain 2.0, rising from Rauner blowing up the Grand Bargain, undercutting Leader Radogno.
Good try, lol
===Do you deliberately try to deceive to are you just uninformed?===
The mere fact you ignore Leader Radogno saying Rauner blew up the Grand Bargain speaks to your ignorance and dishonesty, lol
- Anonymous - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:30 am:
Certified smokified and mirrorified!
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:30 am:
Rich, I was quoting what you wrote this morning
None of this is particularly new. The Senate has been talking about a five-year tax hike coupled with a five-year property tax freeze for well over two months.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:33 am:
===None of this is particularly new===
… except who is doing the negotiating, when that all began, what was the reason for the interruption, and the reason for the restart.
“Other than that… “
- Rich Miller - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:35 am:
LP, don’t twist my words. I didn’t say they were negotiating, I said they were talking about it. And for most of the past two months, they’ve been mainly talking to themselves, not each other.
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:37 am:
So you expect the Governor to just rubber stamp a Grand Bargain and not attempt to improve it but don’t expect the GA to rubber stamp Rauner’s budget. Seems fair to no one except you
Do you know what co equal branches of government mean?
I realize that is a novel concept in Illinois
- Rich Miller - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:40 am:
===but don’t expect the GA to rubber stamp Rauner’s budget===
What budget?
Oh, you mean the one he introduced that completely relies on the Senate’s grand bargain? That one?
You’re getting so tiresome.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:40 am:
===So you expect the Governor to just rubber stamp a Grand Bargain and not attempt to improve it but don’t expect the GA to rubber stamp Rauner’s budget. Seems fair to no one except you===
Supposedly, Brady and Co are negotiating FOR Rauner.
If they’re not, we’ll know soon enough, when Rauner blows up this Grand Bargain too
Your logic only makes sense if Brady and Co are independently negotiating something.
They. Are. Not.
===Do you know what co equal branches of government mean?
I realize that is a novel concept in Illinois===
Again, Brady, is he negotiating for the Senators or Rauner?
lol
- jim - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:44 am:
Lou Lang already has said he’s willing to wait four years for a budget, so I’m guessing these negotations won’t amount too much.
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 12:02 pm:
Of course through his spokesman’s words trashing the Grand Bargain as well as his appointment of Lou Lang to the negotiating committee, the Speaker is making it crystal clear, he does not want a budget compromise.
I find that tiresome, but I admit I am in the minority here
- Shake - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 12:26 pm:
Retirees Want Rauner Defeated.
- Shamrockery - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 12:56 pm:
==Of course through his spokesman’s words trashing the Grand Bargain as well as his appointment of Lou Lang to the negotiating committee, the Speaker is making it crystal clear, he does not want a budget compromise.==
I remember when Rep. Lang made that statement (I also remember a lot of his other rhetorical flourishes). No offense, but I think he and the others named are exactly who you would want involved, if you were serious about doing this.
- Arsenal - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 12:57 pm:
==So you expect the Governor to just rubber stamp a Grand Bargain and not attempt to improve==
I’m reminded of Wilco- “All my lies are always wishes”.
Rauner didn’t “try to improve” the Grand Bargain. He didn’t suggest any amendments that would guarantee his signature. He just pulled votes off of it for some nebulous reason.
- Anonymous - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 1:35 pm:
He probably read Frerichs’ release! https://www.illinois.gov/cms/agency/media/radio/SitePages/Radio.aspx
“A lack of political will caused this budget crisis, Moody’s declared, not economic factors tied to the recession.”
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 1:51 pm:
===…crystal clear, he does not want a budget compromise===
Then tou should wavy any Senate compromise, forcing Madigan to be on an island with Rauner and Cullerton all but forcing Madigan’s hand.
Your obsession with Madigan seems to be that if/when Rauner blows up (maybe?) Grand Bargain, part deux, you, and Rauner, can blame Madigan.
Why not pass out of the Senate something of substance to really box in Madigan instead of focusing on Madigan as the safety valve for when Rauner, again pulls GOP votes off a bargain?
Makes zero sense.
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 2:40 pm:
Males a lot of sense OW to pass a bill of substance which Grand Bargain 1.0 was not not
Leader Durkin, Governor Rauner. Leader Radogno have said publicly many times that they need to pass the best bill they can get.
From the reports so far, Grand Bargain 2.0 is better that 1.0 especially the tax symmetry and spending caps.
Pulling votes off the grand bargain in the 4th inning does not throw the game.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 2:59 pm:
===Males a lot of sense OW to pass a bill of substance which Grand Bargain 1.0 was not not===
Not according to Leader Radogno, who had Rauner’s support until Rauner purposely undercut the deal Radogno made.
The only way this works, in thought, is you admitting Rauner blew up the Grand Conpromise.
===Durkin, Governor Rauner. Leader Radogno have said publicly many times that they need to pass the best bill they can get.===
… and yet, Rauner undercut Leader Radogno’s work with President Cullerton, and Rauner, alone pulled votes off the Radogno-Cullerton compromise. You can’t arbitrarily decide that Radogno and Cullerton weren’t undercut. They were. Period. There was a deal pending, Rauner blew it up.
===From the reports so far, Grand Bargain 2.0 is better that 1.0 especially the tax symmetry and spending caps.===
If you count the two terse responses by President Cullerton’s office about “meeting” and “how things are going” as better… hmm.
Again, the only way this works, is if you recognize what is already shown, Rauner blew up the Radogno-Cullerton work.
===Pulling votes off the grand bargain in the 4th inning does not throw the game.===
Nope. You need to ask Leader Radogno. Your assertion is assuming quite a bit, considering votes were being counted. That sounds like a vote was drawing too near for Rauner.
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 3:48 pm:
Are you claiming Governor Rauner pulled votes off the pension bill in the Grand Bargain which did not pass? Whose fault was that?
If the lawmakers aren’t going to try to continue bargaining they should just go home now
- WWGD - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 4:11 pm:
We Need A Budget. Going on Three years without a budget - - Just makes me sick to say this Gov. has no clue on the damage done. Need a budget before 5/31/2017 .
- Rich Miller - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 4:23 pm:
===Are you claiming Governor Rauner pulled votes off the pension bill in the Grand Bargain which did not pass?===
He did.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 4:25 pm:
===Are you claiming Governor Rauner pulled votes off the pension bill in the Grand Bargain which did not pass?===
I’m confused, it was Rauner. What point are you making, you can undercut your own arguments?