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*** UPDATED x2 *** Pritzker, Welch and Harmon to speak about budget negotiations

Wednesday, May 24, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Sources have been saying for a while now that the governor and the Democratic leaders wanted to have a press conference to announce a budget deal. Well…

What: Governor Pritzker to join Speaker Welch and Senate President Harmon to brief media on FY24 budget negotiations.

Where: Governor’s Ceremonial Office, Illinois State Capitol, Springfield.

When: 2:30 pm

Watch: www.illinois.gov/livevideo

This post will be updated.

…Adding… They have two of these signs, one on each side of the lectern…

*** UPDATE 1 *** Pritzker

I’m standing alongside Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Chris Welch to announce that we have an agreement on a balanced budget for the coming year.

…Adding… Senate President Harmon thanked all the staff for their hard work and said

The Senate hopes, we hope to take action tonight to be able to deliver the legislation to the House so that the House can act as soon as Friday, and then send it straight to the governor. I applaud the trust and cooperation we’ve developed. I’m not sure either chamber in the past would have trusted the other chamber to adopt the budget without an amendment. I appreciate Speaker Welch’s commitment.

Please pardon all transcription errors.

…Adding… Speaker Welch…

For the second year in a row, we are increasing funding for the Local Government Distributive Fund to help communities across the state fund essential services and programs like public health, safety, and basic infrastructures. […]

We are looking forward to continuing to cross the t’s and dot the i’s here in the next couple of hours so that we can get this agreed budget on the board and over to the House.

…Adding… Pritzker on the exploding costs of the healthcare program for undocumented immigrants…

The Senate and the House have agreed to give us the tools to manage the program properly so that it doesn’t reach a proportion that you named and instead allows us to provide health care for the people who are on the program now and make sure that we’re continuing the program going forward, but in a budget friendly way so that everybody gets the healthcare that they need. […]

We had seven options that we presented that are ways in which the program could be managed. We did not have the tools in law for us to actually be able to do that. And so we asked for those tools, we’ve been given them and we’ll be using any number of those seven.

…Adding… Asked about Invest In Kids, the tax credit program for private school scholarships, Pritzker said…

This is not something that’s been covered by the budget agreement. It’s something that still has time, potentially, but it’s not something that’s in the budget agreement.

…Adding… Senate President Harmon was asked about any Republican support…

I’m very hopeful and my next stop is to chat with the Republican Leader.

*** UPDATE 2 *** The one-pager…

Fiscal Year 2024 Budget
The FY 24 budget is a balanced plan with conservative revenue estimates that builds on our fiscal progress while making transformative investments in early childhood and higher education, workforce development, and efforts to fight violence and poverty

Highlights
Fiscal Responsibility – 5th balanced budget

    • This budget builds on four years of historic fiscal progress with balanced budgets, eight credit rating upgrades, a Rainy Day Fund set to surpass $2 billion, the elimination of the bill backlog, and $1 trillion in GDP
    • $200 million additional pension payment beyond what’s required, bringing total pension stabilization investments to $700 million
    • $450 million to pay off rail-splitter bond debt – saving the state $60 million in interest and virtually eliminating all short and medium-term debt

Education
• Early Childhood

    o Smart Start IL — $250 million to fund the first year of the Governor’s early childhood plan with funding increases to eliminate preschool deserts, stabilize the childcare workforce, expand the Early Intervention Program and Home Visiting programs, plus funding to begin the overhaul of the childcare payment management system
    o $50 million for early childhood capital improvements

• K-12

    o $350 million for K-12 evidence-based funding formula
    o $45 million for the first year of a three-year pilot to fill teacher vacancies
    o $3 million to expand access to computer science coursework
    o $1.6 million to launch Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library statewide

• Higher Education

    o $100 million in additional MAP grant funding, ensuring everyone at or below the median income can go to community college for free
    o $100 million increase for public universities ($80.5 million) and community colleges ($19.4 million) – the highest increases in more than two decades

Fighting Poverty

    • HOME ILLINOIS — $85 million increase, bringing state funding to over $350 million, to support homelessness prevention, affordable housing, outreach, and other programs
    • $20 million investment in a new Illinois Grocery Initiative to expand grocery access to underserved rural towns and urban neighborhoods

Health and Human Services

    • Nearly $75 million increase for DCFS to hire 192 staff, expand training and protection, increase scholarships for youth in care, and improve facilities
    • $22.8 million in funding to begin implementing the new Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative
    • $18 million increase to support reproductive health initiatives
    • $24 million for a rate increase for home workers who assist the elderly, increased outreach to the elderly, and an increase for Adult Day Service
    • Continued funding for the $250 million Reimagine Public Safety Act to prevent gun violence and expanded funding for youth employment programs
    • $53.5 million to overhaul IDPH disease monitoring IT and prepare for future public health emergencies
    • Over $200 million increase to better serve Illinoisans with developmental disabilities

Economic Development

    • $400 million to close major economic development deals and attract businesses and jobs to the state
    • Expanded workforce development programs to build a pipeline in the industries of the future, like data center, EV, and clean energy
    • Taking another step towards phasing out of the franchise tax
    • $20 million to Rebuild Illinois Downtowns and Main Streets Capital Program
    • $40 million for forgivable loans to launch more social equity cannabis businesses
    • $10 million to fund a “one-stop business portal” to foster entrepreneurship

…Adding… ILGOP…

“Governor Pritzker and Illinois Democrats can twist words with the best of them, but the truth is that this budget constitutes a partisan wishlist, not a negotiation. With complete control of government, Illinois Democrats continue to tax and spend, with Illinois ranking at the top of every metric of tax burden on residents and driving away families year over year.

It’s time for Governor Pritzker to govern responsibly and stop dreaming about the White House” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy.

…Adding… Leader McCombie…

In response to Democratic leaders announcing a budget agreement, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement:

“I have repeatedly said it, but will say it once more:

Republicans and Democrats have shared priorities and past promises that need to be kept. Extension of the Invest in Kids Scholarship & the R&D tax credit, fully phasing out the franchise tax, and making essential changes to the estate tax code - SHARED priorities that should be included in budget discussions. Today we learned from Governor Pritzker and Democratic leaders that our shared priorities are not included. I am incredibly disappointed for Illinois families.”

       

44 Comments
  1. - NIU Grad - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:13 pm:

    They were holding out until that dumpster caption contest.


  2. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:15 pm:

    I think you may be right, NIU Grad. lol


  3. - JRM - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:17 pm:

    Well this is progress…..


  4. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:34 pm:

    Just announced the presser will be delayed by 20 minutes.


  5. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:36 pm:

    ===Just announced the presser will be delayed by 20 minutes.===

    If the thing is late, that’s only being consistent with its arrival too.


  6. - Give Me A Break - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:43 pm:

    The Governor’s Office Band is really in great form today. Cranking out some budget making tunes.


  7. - Anyone Remember - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:49 pm:

    For all his faults (cough pension ramp), Edgar tended to be on time.


  8. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:51 pm:

    ===For all his faults (cough pension ramp), Edgar tended to be on time.===

    It’s always easier to be on time when the default is “no”, it’s the spending and balancing that takes more time.

    :)


  9. - Norseman - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:55 pm:

    === delayed by 20 minutes. ===

    One more arm to twist.


  10. - JS Mill - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:58 pm:

    ==== delayed by 20 minutes. ===

    One more arm to twist.=

    Yes, they were working to get the ILlinois freedom caucus members to vote “yes” but they had ti find their names first.


  11. - Dr. D - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:03 pm:

    Well this is symbolic of the state budget process.


  12. - Etown - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:09 pm:

    20 minutes must mean 40 minutes or more


  13. - Strategy Geek - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:17 pm:

    2:30 P.m.?


  14. - 47th Ward - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:21 pm:

    20 minutes is a figure of speech, not an increment of time.


  15. - Back to the Future - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:22 pm:

    Where is the President Elect JBP?
    Can we at least change the music?


  16. - Change Agent - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:24 pm:

    For anyone wondering, apparently this is the hold music: Electric Counterpoint by Elena Casoli https://www.shazam.com/track/46672012/electric-counterpoint?referrer=share


  17. - New Day - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:28 pm:

    Show me da budget


  18. - supplied_demand - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:41 pm:

    So, no Additional Pension Contribution in 2024?


  19. - Demoralized - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:43 pm:

    @supplied:

    Includes $200M beyond what is required


  20. - levivotedforjudy - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:47 pm:

    I know I’m getting old, but a “1-Stop Business Portal”? Didn’t we do that like 5 times since the Thompson administration.


  21. - Back to the Future - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:51 pm:

    Sounded good.


  22. - Arsenal - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:55 pm:

    ==And so we asked for those tools, we’ve been given them and we’ll be using any number of those seven.==

    One under-discussed aspect of the Pritzker era is that the GA is plenty happy to let him take on all the worst jobs all by himself.


  23. - Occasional Quipper - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:58 pm:

    Just watched the speeches on replay and it’s nice to see they worked it out together instead of the last minute pressuring between the chambers. This is how it should be done every year. This also means that everyone should have time to read the bill and we can skip all the Republican whining about it being dropped on their laps two hours before adjournment. Refreshing!


  24. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 4:00 pm:

    ===…Adding… Asked about Invest In Kids, the tax credit program for private school scholarships, Pritzker said…

    This is not something that’s been covered by the budget agreement. It’s something that still has time, potentially, but it’s not something that’s in the budget agreement.===

    If the GOP is Red on the budget, again, why even discuss this… this program could bring the GOP into maybe a few being Green, but…


  25. - Healthcare4all - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 4:10 pm:

    Any word on the expanded medicaid program?


  26. - Aaron B - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 4:13 pm:

    Does the proposed budget get posted online before it is fully passed or do we have to wait until later to see it?


  27. - ANNON'IN - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 4:28 pm:

    Chairman Don? Really. Where are TonyMac and….Are they that fearful of the DeSantis roll our?


  28. - New Day - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 4:29 pm:

    “Does the proposed budget get posted online before it is fully passed or do we have to wait until later to see it?”

    As I said earlier, show me da budget. We’ll see it later tonight when it’s introduced in the Senate.


  29. - Occasional Quipper - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 4:29 pm:

    == Does the proposed budget get posted online before it is fully passed ==

    If they all stick to their agreement, it should be made public on the ILGA.gov website prior to the Senate voting on it tonight. Unlike prior years, where it was usually an amendment that was dropped on a shell bill at the last minute.


  30. - Grandson of Man - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 4:42 pm:

    “$200 million additional pension payment beyond what’s required”

    This is good, right? It makes people happy? All the crying about pensions and debt from certain quarters.

    “Illinois Democrats continue to tax and spend”

    Same old tired messaging. Does anybody in that party care that this has repeatedly failed with voters? Doesn’t someone want to win again?


  31. - JS Mill - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 4:47 pm:

    I have to say @GOM always makes me smile. Ever the dreamer when it comes to the ILGOP.


  32. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 4:48 pm:

    ===With complete control of government, Illinois Democrats continue to tax and spend===

    Meh.

    Rainy Day fund filling *and* additional revenues to pensions…

    What exciting, for me, is that the irrelevance of the ILGOP and kowtowing to Eastern Bloc types, the implosion that is set to come won’t be loud enough to make a “pop”

    I guess no GOP Green on the budget either, “Chairman”?

    Then don’t tout budgetary programs, constructions, or “ribbon cuttings” for any of your folks.


  33. - Been There - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 4:55 pm:

    ====Unlike prior years, where it was usually an amendment that was dropped on a shell bill at the last minute.====
    This will also have to be an amendment to another bill. Unless they plan to be here for five more days and not three


  34. - Wonky Kong - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 5:05 pm:

    == This also means that everyone should have time to read the bill and…==
    They have the presser when there is an agreement in principle. They still have to put the actual legislation together and then get the three to sign off again. And it will likely be filed shortly before the senate vote (hopefully still on track for tonight). There will be lots of time before the house vote to look it over though.


  35. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 5:09 pm:

    ===This will also have to be an amendment to another bill===

    Yeah. A Senate approp shell.


  36. - JoeMaddon - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 5:10 pm:

    **This also means that everyone should have time to read the bill and we can skip all the Republican whining about it being dropped on their laps two hours before adjournment. **

    Well, in one chamber at least. The Senate will be voting on the budget very quickly after it gets filed.


  37. - Anyone Remember - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 5:10 pm:

    ===As I said earlier, show me da budget.===

    It is always in bill form, but unless you’re a wonk, not sure how you translate individual agency budget line items (personal services, contractual services, telecommunications) into headcounts, etc.


  38. - Disinvest in Kids (the low-income ones) - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 5:32 pm:

    Democrats might end up regretting forcing 9,000 low income kids out of their preferred schools. Those will be some pretty sad stories.


  39. - I wish we taxed - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 6:10 pm:

    Tax and spend? What taxes did we raise? The revenue omnibus is basically all business friendly stuff.


  40. - Quite a few losers - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 6:12 pm:

    This state needs more revenue - a lot of very worthy items are not being funded.


  41. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 6:34 pm:

    ===Democrats might end up regretting===

    Why?

    Those schools should get those same people donating to the fund to directly donate to the schools for scholarships.

    Republicans are now book banners, afraid of history, Dems talking education have a much better record than the GOP to take to voters… in 2024…


  42. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 6:39 pm:

    ===Democrats might end up regretting===

    I remember during Covid sports being halted and that was going to be the end game too. It wasn’t.

    Those schools that want those students and that money need to work the individuals to see their monies not as a tax break but… what was it… 9,000 families.


  43. - Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 6:40 pm:

    –Those will be some pretty sad stories. –

    The kind of stories that should make the current donors want to pony up regardless of whether they get a tax credit.


  44. - Proud Papa Bear - Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 7:52 pm:

    –Those will be some pretty sad stories. –
    Reminds me of the time my friend went on about how generous Boylan was for giving a kid a scholarship. The guy just happened to be a DI prospect. I wondered if they would’ve cared so much if he were a troubled child with learning difficulties.


Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.


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