* Press release…
Speaker Michael J. Madigan issued the following statement Saturday:
“I am encouraged by the progress we continue to make with Leader Durkin and the other leaders. Building on this progress and Friday’s overwhelmingly bipartisan budget vote, the House will be voting Sunday on a revenue package that is modeled on the bill supported by the governor, and House and Senate Republicans in their recent announcement of their budget blueprint, and ensures a balanced budget for our state.”
I’m not sure yet whether this means they have a deal or what. Stay tuned.
…Adding… The House just adjourned until tomorrow at 2 pm.
…Adding… It doesn’t sound yet like there’s a deal. Just a revenue bill that, unless there’s an agreement, probably wont go anywhere. I’ll let you know when I know more.
…Adding More… I’m not so sure now about that “probably won’t go anywhere” part. We’ll see.
*** UPDATE *** House Republican Leader Jim Durkin,,,
“There is no agreement on a comprehensive budget package that includes reforms and revenue. This impasse can only be resolved in a negotiated manner. It is our hope that Democrats will remain at the negotiating table,” said House Republican Leader Jim Durkin.
* So I asked Steve Brown if there was an agreement. His reply…
I think members have told the Speaker that a number of Republicans are prepared to vote for the revenue bill.
* From the Senate Democrats…
Key negotiators for the Illinois Senate Democrats today said budget talks at the Statehouse are progressing, and they urged calm, continued optimism from everyone involved.
“Our expectation and understanding is that now that the budget piece is getting nailed down, that was key to finalizing a few of the other pieces,” said Senator Heather Steans, a Chicago Democrat and chairwoman of one of the Senate’s appropriations committees, during a briefing with reporters at the Capitol Saturday afternoon.
Steans said lawmakers from all four legislative caucuses were engaged in budget negotiations until late Friday night, and talks resumed at the Capitol Saturday morning. She added that workers’ compensation negotiations hinge on finalizing budget talks and that property tax relief talks are still on the table, as are other pieces, such as getting the governor’s signature on the Senate Democrats’ school funding reform bill.
Steans noted that it is a heavy lift to get so many of different lawmakers to come together to resolve the budget stalemate, adding that the Senate saw the challenge of it firsthand this spring with its Grand Bargain negotiations.
But, she said, “I believe we’re actually getting there. I actually do feel we’ve been knocking each of the items off the list and getting to the point where we’re going to be able to get all four caucuses doing that.”
Senator Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat and chairman of another Senate appropriations committee, also is part of these budget negotiations. Given the productive nature of talks on Friday and the length of the protracted budget stalemate, he said, it’s important that lawmakers don’t start pointing fingers at each other now.
“We have to realize that we are going on our third year without a complete budget in place. Given the progress that was made yesterday, the last thing we need today is finger pointing from either side,” he said.
“We left here last night with a sense of progress and a sense of hope that we can wrap this thing up. I would urge everyone in both chambers – both parties – to strive for slow and steady progress so we can strive for finality to what has been a fiscal impasse that has gone on for far too long.”
Senator Donne Trotter (D-Chicago), assistant majority leader of the Senate, also participated in Saturday’s press briefing and said now is the time for all lawmakers to work together on behalf of the people of Illinois.
“It’s time to listen to what is happening in our communities. It is time to go forward and to ensure that the individuals of our state are the recipients of all the good things that we can do to ensure there is going to be a quality of life they can raise their children in,” Trotter said.
“We have a lot of work to do, but it is not because we don’t know what the situation is. We cannot keep on repeating the discussions that have taken us nowhere. We should go forward with the positive discussions we’ve been working on.”
Senator Toi Hutchinson (D-Chicago Heights) told reporters Senate Democrats are continuing to work in good faith with lawmakers from all of the caucuses to resolve the budget stalemate.
“It’s going to take all hands on deck to get this handled. We’re here in Springfield, we’re ready and we’re continuing to work in good faith to get to the point where we can stabilize what is happening,” she said.
“This is the state of Illinois, and it needs us to be better than we ever were. We’re really urging for cooler heads to prevail and not to devolve into things that could knock us off course when we make winning the gotcha game more important than saving the state.”
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 4:19 pm:
Durkin has 22 hours to help save the state. Take your time Jim…
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 4:20 pm:
Kids are depending on you to help open their schools Leader Durkin…
- The Captain - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 4:22 pm:
If the revenue bill fails, and that seems likely if there isn’t an agreement in place, the credit downgrade is almost impossible to avoid. The stakes seem pretty clear, with very real consequences potentially felt as early as Monday.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 4:23 pm:
It is put up or shut up time.
- Oswego Willy - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 4:25 pm:
Mr. Wehrli will be “Red”, deal or no deal, then will tweet for hours about ridiculous things, hooting… and tweeting… about a lack of cooperation.
It was alluded to before. This might be it.
Madigan will wait to “see if he has a partner” with the 23-30 HGOP “Green” lights… less the Johnny Ola…
- J IL - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 4:26 pm:
If Madigan is pushing the tax vote on Sunday before the GA approves the third reading of the spending Bill how does this not effectively kill all negotiations?
- mizzourob - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 4:29 pm:
Sure the house can vote on a revenue bill, but they still have to vote on SB6. Yesterday’s SB6 vote was only on the amendment but not on the actual bill, and Senate is in recess until Monday. Thus quickest reolution would be Monday.
Worries about a credit rating downgrade to junk should not be held over the heads of lawmakers heads. If they pass a quality budget, credit ratings could then be upgraded accordingly.
- walker - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 4:37 pm:
MJM goes all in.
Straight to the core issue tomorrow. Sincerely hope you’re ready Jim Durkin. Sincerely hope you can count on Rauner to back your move.
A day’s delay and some more expense budget agreements, before the tax bill hits the floor, was more likely to produce a budget. I hope this isn’t a last round haymaker in desperation..
- Oswego Willy - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 4:39 pm:
@FakeGrantWehrli - Something-something Speaker Junk… unhelpful-unhelpful #Raunerite
- ILLannoyed - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 4:42 pm:
I see Issues Staff is out in full force today.
- wordslinger - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 4:48 pm:
Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
…this is where a governor would step in and seal the deal, to head off even further destruction.
But, as we all know by now, the office of Illinois governor is mostly ceremonial and virtually powerless, limited to tweeting about where to eat breakfast, dressing up in Halloween costumes and creating negative TV spots.
Plus, this dude digs the destruction.
But I think that Gov. Junk tag is going to stick. Pritzker and the Dark Money Dems have finally gotten in the ballgame on air.
- IRLJ - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 4:52 pm:
General Assembly approves compromise with just enough Republican votes. Illinois Policy Institute cries betrayal some more. Rauner says it’s to end suffering. Madigan says it was the right thing to do. Rauner wins messaging war by citing statesmanship and a couple of minor, but tangible wins. We have peace, for a while, anyway. I’ll take it.
- Fannie - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 4:54 pm:
Madigan is about to kill the Republicans on the one issue they can win on…and the Republicans are begging him to do it. This is twisted.
- 360 Degree Turnaround - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 5:03 pm:
21 hours Jimmie, grandma is depending on you! Don’t kick grandma to the curb
- JPC - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 5:06 pm:
I don’t know if this means anything, but it’s been two days since I’ve seen the Rauner tweets. I used to see them several times a day.
- Norseman - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 5:08 pm:
GOP revenue bill. Better be close to the 30 GOP votes. They own that turkey and need to back it up.
While this may be a part of the deal to end this Rauner impasse, we can only expect continued uncertainty about the state’s financial future.
- Scamp640 - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 5:11 pm:
@ Wordslinger: Democrats need bumper stickers:
Governor Junk: Toss him out.
- Anonymous - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 5:14 pm:
==Durkin has 22 hours to help save the state. Take your time Jim…==
You honestly believe Durkin would get blamed over Madigan if a bill doesn’t pass the chamber Madigan controls. Good luck with that.
- 360 Degree Turnaround - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 5:22 pm:
Anonymous, if that is your real name, I accept your challenge. This is Leader Durkin’s proposal, Rauner’s proposal on table. How many Repub she will vote to bail state out after Rauner demanded tax to expire?
- downstate hack - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 5:25 pm:
If Madigan demands 20 -30 rebublicans votes we absolutely know he values power more than his constituents.
- Anonymous - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 5:29 pm:
==If Madigan demands 20 -30 rebublicans votes we absolutely know he values power more than his constituents.==
Yep, it’s not.l a “need” for him, it’s a “want”
==Anonymous, if that is your real name, I accept your challenge==
Good luck with that
- 360 Degree Turnaround - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 5:40 pm:
Why are the Dems the only ones that can vote for taxes? Why can’t Durkin’s caucus? Do they not want schools to open. I don’t need luck to blame Durkin. When the bill fails, then people will ask why? Because Durkin
- Oswego Willy - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 5:41 pm:
===If Madigan demands 20 -30 rebublicans votes…===
… for Rauner’s budget? That’s letting the HGOP off cheap.
===we absolutely know he values power more than his constituents===
This is ridiculous, lol
- Ginhouse Tommy - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 5:46 pm:
Junk bond Bruce has a nice ring to it.
- Anon221 - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 5:49 pm:
walker-”Sincerely hope you can count on Rauner to back your move.”
Rauner is not going to back Durkin or any Republican who is interested in saving our State. The 911 bill is testament to that. It’s going to take strong bipartisanship to Go Around a man, one man, who just wants to use Illinois for his own aggrandizement. Two possible US Supreme Court cases are of much more interest and glee to Rauner. The destruction of Illinois is just a sideline in his retirement.
- 360 Degree Turnaround - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 5:50 pm:
Jimbo Junk Bond and Bond Bustin’ Bruce!
- John Rawlss - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 6:09 pm:
How do Dems not understand that this is GOP supported budget plan ONLY IF there are reforms. Do y’all really think GOP would craft this budget proposal if they could pass it their own. Stop calling it a GOP budget - it’s a dem budget that the GOP will agree to IN EXCHANGE for things the GOP wants.
- Illinoisvoter - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 6:09 pm:
Even from the back of a convertible those are going to be some very long and unhappy 4th of
July parades if there isn’t resolution now.
The constant bond degrades over the last two
years of every thing from mosquito abatement
districts to the entire higher education system
please just show me this bleed out isn’t just a
organized heist?
- Responsa - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 6:15 pm:
For real, “caucus” is not a word I like to see used by anyone at this stage of the game.
- Oswego Willy - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 6:16 pm:
===Stop calling it a GOP budget===
Fair enough.
I’ll call it Rauner’s “Capitol Compromise”, lol
- 360 Degree Turnaround - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 6:27 pm:
Durkin’s Budget
- The Usual - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 6:28 pm:
As we can see from the usual posters here any move to make a pay cut or pension cut is, as per usual, claimed to be a big destroyer of all of us.
No big deal because many of us are tired of paying the over valued pay rates to Governmental workers.
Here is a hint. Quit your jobs and see just what high pay you are offered in the private sector
- Publius - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 6:34 pm:
Is Wehrli the new Sandack?
- Dandy Edward - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 6:40 pm:
Mike Madigan put us in this position as he agreed to all these budgets since he has been Speaker of the House. Now he needs to work with the Governor and Republicans in the Senate and House and give them what they want. If you keep doing something the same way all these years and it does not work and you keep doing it that is dumb. Time fpr reform and digging this state out of a mess.
- I Live in Madigan's District - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 6:48 pm:
Lol. Speaker Junk. There are some Madigan apologists on this thread. Sorry, he is complicit.
- Flapdoodle - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 6:51 pm:
Hey “Usual,” as per a couple of job offers this spring, private sector boost would have yielded a 50% raise plus benefits — you need to get out more. Have a happy 4th!
- Oswego Willy - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 6:56 pm:
When the WSJ calls Madigan Speaker Junk, let us know, lol
- Tammy - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 7:01 pm:
As usual, the Senate Dems are the adults in the room.
- Oswego Willy - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 7:01 pm:
The Rauner Tax will be tough to put on anyone.
Governors sign revenue increases.
Same as it ever was.
- Roman - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 7:09 pm:
The only question that matters: how firm is Madigan on the 41-30 “yes” split on revenue?
If there’s room for a five or six vote wiggle, I think we might get there, (though not necessarily tomorrow.) If he holds the Dems hard at 41, I think it’s short.
- Sue - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 7:14 pm:
If the Dems hold out for the 250 million CPS piece Rauner should just say no. The State will survive without the need to bail out Chicago for its own decision to starve the COS pension fund for Daleys entire term
- John Rawlss - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 7:19 pm:
Oswego Willy is BEGGING, just begging for the government to take more of his hard earned money! Begging!
- Oswego Willy - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 7:27 pm:
===…just begging for the government to take more of his hard earned money! Begging!===
… apparently Rauner wants your money too.
- Chuck Chuck Bo-Buck - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 7:28 pm:
I am trying really hard to be hopeful. The news is promising but of course one can’t be hopeful with Governor Buzzkill ready to veto any bipartisan compromise.
But really this is the best news in a really long time. Maybe Radogno’s resignation gave people a new perspective on things? Who knows.
Like the old saying, cross your fingers but don’t hold your breath.
- The Usual - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 7:59 pm:
Well then naturally Flapdoodle you took the private sector up on the job you were offered. Hopefully the rest of the State employees follow your lead.
- anon2 - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 8:07 pm:
A handful of GOP votes on Sunday won’t get the job done. With an expanded number of targets, Madigan isn’t likely to put on more than 41 Yes votes.
- 360 Degree Turnaround - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 8:09 pm:
18 hours for big Jimbo to find some votes!
- anon - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 8:15 pm:
The usual for state employees the trade off is lower pay for benefits
If the government took half your 401k or private sector pension and gave it to your neighbors so they could keep their taxes lower you would understand the hand state employees have been dealt
- The Usual - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 8:27 pm:
In Illinois these days the State pays well above what many are offered in the private sector before even thinking about the benefits. It helps to be politically connected though…but that’s how it works in Illinois
- 360 Degree Turnaround - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 8:43 pm:
You think a state lawyer makes more than a lawyer in private sector? How about accountant? Engineer? You are talking about low wage jobs where collective bargaining helps raise their income!
- Louis G. Atsaves - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 9:05 pm:
@360 Degree Turnaround, I’m impressed. 10 drive by comments to one posting.
But then again, after 2+ years, there are still Democrats in Springfield that refuse to accept the concept that control of State Government is now shared with a Republican Governor. The Speaker appears to continue to head up that list.
And thus, the current Status of Illinois Government: The Laughingstock of the Nation.
- Jvr278 - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 9:10 pm:
@ The Usual
Have you packed up yet and left the state? You complain more than you offer solutions. Think positive for once. In Illinois these days, either get involved or quit complaining.
- BBG Watch - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 9:23 pm:
Usual - Do you work for the state and are you hallucinating? I am making the same amount as when I was hired 9 years ago. There has been a salary freeze since then.
The only people making so much more than other companies are the Rauner hires … like Munger … who got a brand new job and title. Us “little people” everyday folks are NOT being paid more. I commute and my costs have doubled. My health care bills from over a year ago still are not paid. My doctors and dentist won’t accept my insurance. We haven’t had office supplies in over a year and bring our own in. We can’t even get drinking water in our office. So please stop. Your comments do not reflect the average state worker.
- StopPlayingGames - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 9:57 pm:
Senator Toi Hutchinson (D-Chicago Heights) your last sentence says it all.
“This is the state of Illinois, and it needs us to be better than we ever were.” “We’re really urging for cooler heads to prevail and not to devolve into things that could knock us off course when we make winning the gotcha game more important than saving the state.”
- walker - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 10:03 pm:
John Rawls. With respect. You can claim that this isn’t a “GOP budget”, but it is certainly a Rauner budget — it spends less than any Rauner “budget proposal” in the last three years, and takes in the taxes what Rauner’s latest budget proposal requires to balance. The budget numbers themselves have not been the major issue between the parties.
What you’re really saying is that Rauner’s own budget should continue to be held hostage to other reforms. We get it. When does the obvious damage to the state become too high a price to pay for what level of political/structural reforms? I think it’s about time now.
- Flapdoodle - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 10:28 pm:
@ Usual — No, I didn’t. I like doing meaningful work that benefits the broader community, not just my own pocketbook. Try it sometime.
- Pot calling kettle - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 11:49 pm:
==In Illinois these days the State pays well above what many are offered in the private sector before even thinking about the benefits.==
Do tell. Please provide a link to the salary study…
waiting…
Nevermind.
- 360 Degree Turnaround - Saturday, Jul 1, 17 @ 11:50 pm:
14 hours. Lighting my candle for the House Republicans tonight. Don’t shut schools down. Vote for revenue
- Rabid - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 4:20 am:
The stock markets are open till one on Monday. Mike wants to show we are serious about revenue, or we want govenor junk’s agenda
- JPC - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 6:47 am:
@usual et alia: I work for the state.
I make less than the private sector people who do the same job, I have no pension but rather a 401k and no social security, and over the past two years we’ve had to eat 6k in pay cuts.
- Rod - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 7:46 am:
Senator Trotter’s comments were interesting in that he likely knows that SB 6 as it currently stands will not “ensure that the individuals of our state are the recipients of all the good things that we can do to ensure there is going to be a quality of life they can raise their children in.” In his 17th district which is 61% African American of whom about 27% of those African Americans are recipients of food stamps that subgroup will not experience any improvement in the quality of their lives based on SB 6, in fact they are better off operating under existing court orders. The other subgroup among Senator Trotter’s community that likely won’t be better of under SB 6 will be the 49% of African Americans 16 to 64 years of age that are either unemployed or not in the labor force.
The 17th has a solid core of moderate income African Americans who will without question impacted less by the cuts to SB 6. Senator Trotter knows the reality of what he is voting for, he is in a trap due to the strangulation caused by the overall budget situation. (All data cited comes from statisticalatlas.com )
- How's it - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 8:28 am:
Here’s how Orange Co. California did it:
“Officials proposed raising taxes to help right the county’s finances, but voters refused. The county froze hiring, laid off thousands of workers and slashed budgets.”
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-oc-bankruptcy-20170701-story.html
- JZL - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 8:34 am:
In Illinois, we have the payors and the payees. If the politicians continue to craft a “compromise” whereby the payors are required to pay even more for pensions and other gov’t inefficiencies, people will continue to leave. Best solution: file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy (a la Detroit), and renegotiate all contracts (including pensions)’and fix it. Illinois could once again thrive.
- Oswego Willy - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 8:40 am:
===In Illinois, we have the payors and the payees.===
Not even remotely accurate. Who’s not paying taxes? Even retirees pay sales tax.
Illinois can’t file for bankruptcy.
- Original Rambler - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 8:58 am:
I always chuckle when the bankruptcy option is posed. Just think about how the Detroit judge was going to auction off the assets of their art museum to pay creditors. Illinois has WAY more assets than Detroit. On the auction block it will go! Dana Thomas house, State buildings and property, Lincoln papers, etc. That Illinois Beach State Park ought to fetch a pretty penny!
- Simple Simon - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 9:14 am:
Indeed, Rambler, and imagine what will happen to our tax rates when the state no longer owns a single asset, and has to rent everything back from their new owners, including space, vehicles, equipment, parks, roads, etc. Not even including borrowing costs in the junk/bankruptcy markets!
- Simple Simon - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 9:17 am:
People always threaten to leave Illinois due to the tax rate, etc., but imagine the Randian dystopia where there are only private assets, not public ones, and very limited public services. That is sure a place worth leaving!
- JS Mill - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 9:47 am:
JZL- if illinois isn’t thriving why is Illinois’ GDP growing faster than our neighbors?
The answer- you are parroting a false narrative not supported by actual math.
- Crispycritter - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 9:50 am:
So people threaten to leave. Remember all the movie stars who were gonna leave the US if Trump got in? Hmmmm, they are still here.
- DeseDemDose - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 10:30 am:
The Orange county article compares apples and Oranges.
- RNUG - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 10:31 am:
== Even retirees pay sales tax. ==
And property taxes, gasoline taxes, phone taxes / fees, license plates, etc. And even some state income tax, just not on pensions, Social Security or IRA distribution but they do pay on some dividends, stocks sales, etc.. And don’t forget the internet sales tax that isn’t offset by anything.
- CapnCrunch - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 10:43 am:
“Senator Trotter……..is in a trap due to the strangulation caused by the overall budget situation. ”
A trap he helped create with his yes vote on Senate bill 27 back in 2005 to skip $2.3 billion in pension payments in FY 2006 - 2007.
- Rod - Sunday, Jul 2, 17 @ 12:16 pm:
Senator Trotter probably would agree that Illinois Democrats and also Republicans who approved the pension holidays put the State in the hole. Dave McKinney correctly said about this issue: “For more than a quarter-century, governors and state legislators, Republicans and Democrats alike, made a series of financially toxic moves in the pension systems for state employees and public school teachers. Proposals to fix the perennially underfunded pensions were based on botched calculations—or no calculations at all—and were driven by misguided rationales that weren’t fully vetted. Everyone was to blame, yet few accepted responsibility.”
Senator Trotter I think wouldq probably agree with that assessment.