Senate pushing for resolution by end of May
Monday, May 8, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’ve been updating subscribers about these Senate talks for several days now, including this morning. Here’s Mary Ann Ahern…
[State Sen. Bill Brady] has been meeting with Senate President John Cullerton, and while he said “we’re not there yet; we are closer to a comprehensive plan that lays it all out,” more lawmakers now believe a vote will be taken on the Senate’s so-called “Grand Bargain” before the May 31 deadline. After May 31, lawmakers would need a three-fifths majority to pass the bill, rather than a simple majority.
Brady is working closely with Governor Bruce Rauner’s staff, and while the GOP may have enough votes to accept the income tax hike, issues like a property tax freeze and workers compensation reforms – that have been Rauner’s “must-haves” – are not yet settled.
Why might there be a break in the impasse? The governor’s re-election is taking center stage, and his inability to reach a budget deal, according to several Springfield sources, has made Rauner “desperate for a deal.”
At the same time, sources also used the same “desperate” description when noting that Cullerton and House Speaker Mike Madigan are hearing from progressive Democrats who are frustrated by the nearly two-yearlong impasse.
Stay positive, but don’t hold your breath just yet.
* Natasha Korecki…
Is it a Grand Bargain 2.0? Republican state Sen. Bill Brady didn’t want to call it that in an interview with POLITICO last night, but here’s a summary of where he says the GOP is right now: a five-year income tax increase and expansion of the services tax as long as they’re coupled in time with a five-year property tax freeze. “The hope here would be if Republicans would participate in a revenue increase, that the revenue increase would be associated in time with a property tax freeze,” Brady said Sunday. He said the proposal would call for a cap on spending and reforms with workers’ compensation. “In five years when the increase in the revenues falls off, spending will be in line with new revenues and things will not have the cliff that we were left with under Pat Quinn.”
Are casinos part of the package? “We talked about that. We believe it could be.”
Where is (Senate GOP Leader Christine) Radogno in all of this? Is Brady’s involvement pushing her to the side? “No. Sen. Radogno is the one who asked me to engage in the conversation with Sen. [President John] Cullerton. She has been very involved in everything we’ve done.”
What do Dems say? Cullerton spokesman John Patterson: “When Sen. Brady filed his proposals, we welcomed him to the discussions. The idea here is if people have ideas, let’s see if the numbers add up and if we can make them work,” Patterson said Sunday. “This isn’t a Democratic issue or a Republican issue, we’re all trying to work together to find a solution. The original (grand bargain) bills that were filed had Republican bills that were in there.”
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. And the Senate has already passed a gaming bill.
- Anonymous - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 9:50 am:
“… his inability to reach a budget deal … has made Rauner “desperate for a deal.”
This all day long.
- DuPage Bard - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 9:59 am:
Whatever, hasn’t this record been playing since Christmas?
- JDuc - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:09 am:
If he’s desperate, there will be no deal…..
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:14 am:
I guess the spin that Rauner “killed the Grand Bargain” is completely wrong.
Tying the length of the tax increase to the length of the property tax freeze with needed spending restraints has been the obvious path to a deal.
Much better than the other framework that ties a permanent income tax increase to a two year property tax freeze
- cdog - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:15 am:
Interesting that a new high-profile GOP player has skin in the game now.
Theory would be it will now be hard for Rauner to pull out the rug at the last minute.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:20 am:
===I guess the spin that Rauner “killed the Grand Bargain” is completely wrong.===
The initial grand bargain, yep, Rauner did.
Rauner made Radogno tell Cullerton she had no other bite but hers.
You know this. Your willful ignorance is noted.
===Tying the length of the tax increase to the length of the property tax freeze with needed spending restraints has been the obvious path to a deal.===
It may be, it’s really up to Rauner. Rauner continues to either stop overrides or bust up bargains. It’s not Cullerton continually walking away.
- Roman - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 10:54 am:
I welcome any signs of progress. But I’m not sure there are as many Senate Dems willing to cut a deal as there were before “Grand Bargain I” failed. The Lucy-pulling-the-ball-away-from-Charlie-Brown analogy is overused, but very apt.
I think “Grand Bargain II” is gonna require a heck of a lot more Senate Republican votes than four or five to pass. We’re might be talking about an old-fashioned 15-15 structured roll call.
- Rod - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 11:37 am:
The idea of linking numerous Senate bills together to create a balanced budget for the next fiscal year is a very complex undertaking. Its probably too complex to be real.
One example of the lack of reality of all this is SB 4 which was for bonding out money the State owes, its only for $7 billion, but in another month outstanding bill will probably be double that amount. Things like gaming revenue, or savings from government consolidation will take years to realize money from.
Its all a little fantastic at this point in time, seeing will be believing.
- RNUG - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 2:51 pm:
The problem I have with the property tax freeze is I still expect an attempt to cost shift the current / normal TRS pension funding to the local school districts. FWIW, I don’t want higher property taxes but I also recognize the money has to come from somewhere.
- WWGD - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 4:17 pm:
We Need A Budget !!!! I can’t wait to vote !
- wordslinger - Monday, May 8, 17 @ 7:50 pm:
–I guess the spin that Rauner “killed the Grand Bargain” is completely wrong.–
Geez, then he should get his money back.
Are you insentient? They can yank their cranks all day long in the Senate, and unless The Boss signs off, it means nothing.
I’m curious — are you against all this damage being done to higher ed and social services?
Is that the objective?
Careful how you answer, Einstein — I’ll hold you to it.