* From yesterday…
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.
* Monique Garcia offers up a preview…
Democrats declined to provide details of their plans in advance of a Tuesday morning news conference, but Madigan’s previous proposals included cutting the corporate income tax rate by at least 50 percent but applying that rate across the board so that a vast majority of businesses that currently don’t pay any income taxes will have to pony up.
He also called for keeping in place a sometimes controversial tax credit for businesses that create new jobs, and banning “any future tax incentives for corporations that ship American jobs out of our country.” The speaker has also pushed for expanding the earned income tax credit for low-income families, raising the minimum wage and taxing those who earn over $1 million.
With only a few weeks to go before the end of the spring legislative session, Rauner’s office said it was “skeptical” about Madigan’s intentions.
“After two years of playing games and refusing to negotiate, call us skeptical that all we will see from Madigan Democrats is another set of phony reforms to disguise a massive tax hike and bailout for Chicago,” spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis said.
*** UPDATE *** From the House Democrats…
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 are asking the governor to consider their reform proposals that will improve the business climate while lifting up the middle class.
“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 plan to present the governor with House Democratic Caucus proposals that will improve the business climate while lifting up the middle class. While the governor has prioritized changes to the workers’ compensation system, Democrats are pushing for additional reforms that would prohibit insurance companies in Illinois from eliminating an insurance policy due to a pre-existing condition and would also create an Insurance Rate Review Board to prevent insurance companies from unfairly gouging consumers.
The House negotiators also plan to ask Rauner to stand with Democrats in working to close corporate loopholes that allow large businesses to pay nothing in taxes. House Democrats have prioritized cutting the overall corporate income tax to level the playing field for small and medium-sized employers, while also cracking down on large corporations that game the system to avoid paying anything in taxes.
“House Democrats have put forward a number of reforms that address the governor’s goals, and we will continue pushing ideas that will strengthen the economy while also lifting up the middle class,” Lang said. “We believe we can create jobs without hurting the people who work in those jobs every day. We look forward to working with the governor to find common ground and move this conversation forward by discussing his ideas in depth, and presenting him with ideas of our own.”
- Not It - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 9:35 am:
Okay, so this proposal will surely fall short of what the Governor wants, but I hope that the Governor will at least pretend to see some good signs out of this, and that it is a step in the right direction.
- Big Joe - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 9:38 am:
After over 2 years in office, what have we seen from Bruce Rauner except the same requests and phony excuses for why he can’t present a balanced budget. How can he expect people to believe that he wants a budget at all? Actions speak louder than words, Bruce. Do Your Job.
- The Dude Abides - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 9:43 am:
“Playing games and refusing to negotiate”? Pot calling kettle. I could give numerous examples that this is what the Administration has been doing for two years. The constantly changing of budget demands (the Charlie Brown football analogy)would be one.
My take is that the Administration is not in any hurry for a budget unless it is on their terms but it’s very important to them that Madigan, not Rauner, takes the blame. Budget or no budget, it is non stop campaign mode for those guys.
- cdog - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 9:46 am:
Induction rules. A pattern, once started, will most likely continue.
Madigan and Rauner need to be marginalized; both have proven to be disingenuous.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 9:52 am:
The best way not to be skeptical?
Work with Cullerton, get a budget deal there, force Madigan’s hand.
The only reason Rauner refuses to get that Senate deal to for Madigan’s hand (the triangulation deal was the plan 2 years ago for cripes sake) is if Rauner doesn’t want ANY deal.
The play, if Rauner wants a deal, is get something out of the Senate, make any overture by any HDem(s) look disingenuous, and move on.
Rauner refuses. Rauner undercuts Radogno, Cullerton, everyone.
So, the HDems, they trot out “this”, knowing… it’s on Rauner to apply the pressure. Rauner won’t.
- cdog - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 9:53 am:
“… raising the minimum wage…”
It would be nice if this train to destroy Illinois’ small businesses was stopped.
Why not tie avg executive compensation to avg non-exec payroll?
Those jokers making 200x what their workers get paid, while ripping shareholders too, would slow down on that nonsense.
Maybe cap them at 50x avg payroll and leave alone those of us that are lucky to make 2-3x avg payroll out of this egalitarian effort.
- DuPage - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 9:57 am:
Rauner keeps saying to send him an offer. Now, before even seeing the offer, he is hinting that he is going to reject the offer. Rauner never really wanted to reach a deal in the first place.
- Hottot - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 10:13 am:
Madigan’s refusing to negotiate…….isn’t that what Rauner’s doing to AFSCME? I guess gov moneybags believes in “Do as I say, not as I do!”
- Robert the Bruce - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 11:02 am:
A proposal invites skepticism when it is first unveiled at a press conference rather than in private negotiations.
- DeseDemDose - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 11:32 am:
Rauner does not want a budget. He has no skin in the game. 50 million is chump change. Being governor is his hobby.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 11:36 am:
“presenting him with ideas of our own.”
This is why it’s doomed from the start. Rauner doesn’t want any new ideas.
- don the legend - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 12:00 pm:
Rauner being skeptical of someone. Now that’s rich coming from the most untrustworthy official this state has seen in a very long time if ever.
- Free Set of Steak Knives - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 12:14 pm:
Democrats are signaling once again that they are willing to work with Republicans to develop an economic development package separate but parallel to the passage of a budget.
This is no different than President Kennedy letting the Russians know that if they were willing to remove their missiles from Cuba, the U.S. would separately pursuer a plan to remove their missiles from Turkey.
The economic development package isn’t going to consist solely of Rauner agenda items, nor is he going to get everything he wants.
The state budget doesn’t consist solely of Democratic spending ideas or the revenue they would prefer either.
In Democrats’ mind, that is a fair trade, probably.
We’ll see if Rauner decides to shoot the gift horse in the mouth.
- Huh? - Tuesday, May 16, 17 @ 1:00 pm:
1.4% to HDems: Sit, stay, lie down, roll over, play dead.