* Press release…
House Democrats seeking common ground with Gov. Bruce Rauner in order to end the budget stalemate and put the state on a path to fiscal stability will outline additional reforms they plan to present to the governor at a press conference Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the Capitol Blue Room.
“House Democrats believe the budget crisis demands immediate action, and it is our hope to show Governor Rauner that we stand ready to work with him,” state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie said. “We plan to seek common ground with the governor on his proposals, and present him with items we believe should be part of the bargaining in order to encourage economic growth while lifting up the middle class.”
Last week, House Speaker Michael J. Madigan appointed Currie and House Leaders Lou Lang, Arthur Turner and Jay Hoffman to work with Rauner to find compromise on issues unrelated to the state budget. The legislators also plan to raise additional items that the House Democratic Caucus proposals believes will improve the business climate while lifting up the middle class.
Who: State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie
State Rep. Lou Lang
State Rep. Arthur Turner
State Rep. Jay Hoffman
What: Press conference on negotiations with Gov. Rauner
When: Tuesday, May 16
10 a.m.
Where: Blue Room
Illinois State Capitol
Any guesses?
- Lance Mannion - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 11:22 am:
Yeah, calling BS.
If the House Dems really were now, suddenly, really ready to “stand ready to work with him”, they’d skip the press conference and present their proposal to Rauner or his staff directly. #TheBSContinues
- Arsenal - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 11:24 am:
Something the Governor won’t support, no doubt.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 11:27 am:
===they’d skip the press conference and present their proposal to Rauner or his staff directly.===
Why?
Can’t Non-Raunerites have a press availability too?
That seems disingenuous.
If history shows anything the Illinois Rauneritrs will release their response mid press conference. President Cullerton wasn’t even done speaking, and the release was out.
They want a roll out, let em have it.
What’s the fear in it?
- Lech W - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 11:28 am:
Likely more blame seeking and virtue signalling by the Dems. Negotiating via the press or news conference is never a good idea. But we shall see…
- VanillaMan - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 11:32 am:
No matter what the plan is, people who like seeing our state in flames will claim that what the Democrats propose will be as useless as what Rauner proposes, and call it BS.
- Vanilla Blue - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 11:42 am:
C’mon already. I’m not sure who to be mad at anymore.
The Gov who refuses to lay his cards on the table or the Gen. Assembly who loves the fact that he hasn’t laid his cards on the table so they can stick their collective tongues out at him using half-hearted plans.
- Same Old - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 11:47 am:
Just more grandstanding with no new proposals other than the usual tax hikes. What else is new?
- Ducky LaMoore - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 11:47 am:
I really don’t know how to answer the question without snark… so I won’t…. I think their plan will be to Roshambo the governor for what will be in the budget/non-budget “reform” as well as a lottery to determine who will actually vote for the it.
- Nostra - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 11:49 am:
Guesses: 1. Currie’s (formerly Durkin’s) pension reform bill. 2. Lite work comp reform. 3. More than two years property tax freeze. 4. Maybe term limits for legislative leaders.
- Ohhaimark - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 11:50 am:
I wonder if they’ll take Friday off again. You know, press conferences are hard work.
- Anonymous - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 11:52 am:
==If the House Dems really were now, suddenly, really ready to “stand ready to work with him”, they’d skip the press conference and present their proposal to Rauner or his staff directly. #TheBSContinues==
This.
- VanillaMan - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 11:52 am:
Love your name, Vanilla Blue - but I’ve been going by Vanilla here since 2003, and it wouldn’t be fair to confuse our sharp wit, pithy postings or rants with similar names.
Oh - and “Oswego” is taken too, btw.
I would be happy to suggest another great handle, if you’d like me to.
- Thoughts Matter - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 11:52 am:
One thing this does is give the public a chance to make phone calls and send emails to their legislator. Of course, most of the GOP will ignore it all and continue doing what the governor asks. You have to respect Madigan because he at least lets the democrat representatives listen to their constituents. You know, the people who expect their reps to actually represent them. Frankly, I don’t know why the GOP would expect their constituents to vote for them.
- walker - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 12:20 pm:
Any clarity from either side, is better than mush at this point.
Note: These specific legislators have been studying and working on these specific issues for many years longer than the governor. Maybe they will say something worthwhile.
The other dynamic is this: Madigan has to co-opt any move by more independent legislators who are working on their own proposals.
- Vanilla White - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 12:38 pm:
Let freedom ring, and egos perish.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 12:44 pm:
Mr./Mrs. “White”
Your lack of picking a thoughtful name is in complete agreement with your lacking in the comment you want to make. When your drive-by is more thoughtful than your chosen name, that’s not… good
To the Post,
Here’s where Rauner and Cullerton could really put Madugan and all the HDems in the box with passing something to the House, then force Madigan to either find compromise or now be the catalyst of blowing up a comprise because of “60″
Now? Now it’s just HDems kinda-sorta trolling those blowing up bargains…
- Slim Pickens - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 12:47 pm:
If the Dems really wanted to put a budget on the Gov’s desk it would be there already. They (Dems and Repubs) are all using this state of chaos for election fodder.
If Hobbes were alive today, he would have called his state of nature, the state of Illinois.
- Vanilla Blue - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 12:50 pm:
Alright, now you’re just being silly “white.” You should run for office.
I’m going to make like hundreds of thousands of other Illinoisans and take me and my handle to some other state.
- RNUG - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 1:13 pm:
First, the obvious: pension “reform” and a worker comp “lite” reform.
Less likely, maybe some property tax relief tied to increased school funding or new formula AND increased or expanded income / sales tax.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 1:16 pm:
Sorry… yes…
The plan… WC… pension reform in some “form”, I can see some school funding numbers where it highlights Raunerite misses in their property tax freeze…
No leader term limits.
- Mama - Monday, May 15, 17 @ 2:14 pm:
“What’s the fear in it?”
OW, the fear is the Dems could point out the governor’s talking points make no sense.