* Last week, the House Democrats were expected to unveil their own plan during appropriations committee hearings today. But, as I told you Friday, the House Democrats caucused and couldn’t agree to a plan. They’ll be caucusing again later today, so in the meantime…

The Illinois House is holding a public review of a state budget plan.

Democratic leadership scheduled committee hearings Sunday afternoon for the $37.3 billion spending outline the Senate approved and sent across the state Capitol last week.

Senate Democrats adopted the proposal after they said they couldn’t wait for a negotiated agreement with Republicans. The General Assembly’s scheduled adjournment is Wednesday.

* Tribune…

One main point of contention: Harris said House Democrats are united in their opposition to making the income tax hike retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year as the Senate called for. If lawmakers approved a higher rate starting at the first of the year, Illinoisans would have more money withheld from their paychecks to cover income from the first several months of 2017. The biggest question that remains, however, is what kind of tax proposal House Democrats could get behind, and whether they would be willing to pass it without Republican support.

Madigan has long insisted that Republicans must share in the responsibility — and blame — of raising taxes. But some Democrats frustrated with years of inaction say they’d rather be able to tell voters back home that they took a stand to help dig Illinois out of the financial morass, even it if it’s not politically popular.

They contend that no matter what path they take, Rauner is likely to go on the attack against them in next year’s legislative contests, similar to how he spent millions of dollars against Democrats in last year’s elections for the General Assembly.