Today’s quotable
Monday, May 17, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
Time is now short to come up with a plan to close the $1.3 billion gap in next year’s budget, but state Sen. Elgie Sims of Chicago, the Senate Democrats’ top negotiator, said he thinks budget talks need to go beyond the immediate crisis and focus on charting a better course for years to come.
He said he’s “cautiously optimistic” the state will get the green light to repay some of its debts with the federal relief money, but he also noted that the money can be used to cover expenses through the end of 2024. […]
“If we’re going to turn our fiscal ship around and make sure that we’re putting ourselves on a path to fiscal stability, it’s going to be important that we recognize that even with the rosier revenue projections, there’s still significant challenges and significant decisions that need to be made to cover those gaps,” he said.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, May 17, 21 @ 11:52 am:
For years the state workforce has been a “bank” where “withdrawals” in the form of cuts and borrowing on pensions have been done repeatedly. It’s time to look elsewhere for cuts, and not keep going back to the bank. Corporations got a massive federal tax cut, so any extra revenue from them may not hurt as bad.
- Motambe - Monday, May 17, 21 @ 12:24 pm:
What trickery is this? It sounds like common sense.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 17, 21 @ 12:42 pm:
Thoughtful, plain speak.
Boring governing principles and an outlook through them.
No partisan hyperbole.
I like it.
- DuPage - Monday, May 17, 21 @ 12:59 pm:
I hope they don’t resort to “saving money” by dropping projects or services that have matching or even the 90% federal funded highway projects. They have done it in the past and now look at the bridges down by Joliet. If Illinois does not take the money then it goes to some other state. We need to quit being a “donor state”. Illinois pays way more to the federal government then we get back, and it’s our own (politician’s) fault.
- Blue Dog - Monday, May 17, 21 @ 1:01 pm:
Significant decisions need to be made….Hmmmm. I wonder what that means. New revenue or reduced spending?