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Hoping to salvage some of his business-friendly agenda, Gov. Bruce Rauner said he wants to strike a deal with Democrats on issues like a property tax freeze and workers compensation reform by a midnight Sunday deadline.

With the clock ticking toward the legislature’s Sunday adjournment, the Republican governor said Democrats who control the General Assembly must act on those issues before he will sign off on a tax hike to balance a budget that is at least $3 billion out of whack.

“We can’t just raise taxes,” Rauner said. “If they really are sincere about making significant reforms, we’ll know by Sunday night. We’ll either have a deal Sunday night or we won’t.”

Over the past month, Democrats have voted down pieces of the governor’s pro-business proposals, saying they would gut labor unions and hurt the middle class. During a 15-minute chat with reporters at the Executive Mansion on Friday, Rauner said he has pared down his once expansive “Turnaround Agenda” in order to forge a compromise to keep the state operating.

* Tribune…

Democrats and even some Republicans are unsure how much Rauner wants and how far he will go to achieve his short-term and long-term goals.

“Well, the governor…made it clear that he is ready to dig in for the long haul, that he is not going to be, you know, forced into some short-term solution that is not good for the state in the long run. That was made clear,” Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno of Lemont said of the current gridlock.

* The Question: What is the likelihood that House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton will bow to the governor’s demands and work out an agreement with Rauner on his workers’ compensation reforms and property tax freeze by Sunday night? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.

surveys

posted by Rich Miller
Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 12:38 pm

Comments

All three “leaders” will continue to fiddle while Rome burns.

Comment by Collinsville Kevin Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 12:42 pm
Prop tax freeze would exacerbate chgos problems

Comment by Langhorne Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 12:43 pm
Better chance of comp reform than property tax relief. I don’t know how you pass a budget taking services away and then don’t allow local govt to make the choice to fund them alone.

Comment by Gooner Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 12:44 pm
I just don’t see a property tax freeze.

Comment by Wensicia Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 12:45 pm
Bruce, GOP leadership and Cullerton will all move towards an agreement. The odd man out, the king, MR. ALL MIGHTY Madigan, will undoubtedly entrench himself for the summer and allow the Rauner attack ads to do what they must. Madigan is not in the business of compromise. his reluctance will either lead to his defeat and the new era of Cooperative government or it will serve as a reminder that this is his state and he will call the shots until he sees fit to retire.

Comment by Goldwater Republican Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 12:48 pm
There hasn’t been enough work on the third way of workers comp reform: squeezing out costs from the insurance companies. That’s the area of potential consensus. And that’s where a lot of the money is.

Maybe there has been work behind the scenes. That would be refreshing.

Comment by Dan Johnson Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 12:49 pm
Voted “Somewhat Unlikely”

“Why?”

“Very Unlikely” had too much closure. I am hoping for “something”, prepared for “nothing”

Comment by Oswego Willy Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 12:49 pm
No idea, in the amount of time remaining, and not too sure that’s exactly a sincere objective from the governor.

Comment by Wordslinger Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 12:54 pm
Somewhat

Worker’s comp and tort reforms possible.

A property tax freeze always sounds good to voters, but it is not part of a “pro-business” agenda.

Comment by walker Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 12:56 pm
The big key is when Governor Rauner acknowledges that he, not just his opponents, proposed a budget with a multi-billion dollar gap.

Comment by walker Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 12:57 pm
Property tax freeze is a populous position taken by Rauner to garner public opinion favor. It is an irresponsible policy that takes away what Rauner claims to be a valued commodity for taxpayers - local control. Furthermore, as Gooner said…” I don’t know how you pass a budget taking services away and then don’t allow local gov to make the choice to fund them alone.”

Rauner is doing the same thing that the GOP was whining about when the DEMS were lining up votes/no votes on issues so they can have mail pieces and other propaganda. Ironically, those were votes on reforms that their Governor wanted – yet they did not have the courage to vote for them then. The difference here is that property tax freeze is incredibly irresponsible on so many levels.

If there is a deal to be made it would be with workers comp. Ironically, if my memory serves me correctly, Illinois passed a workman’s comp bill in 2011 (RICH – comment?). So, at one time there was an appetite for some reform…now if they could just get “lobbyist” to the table (which apparently the GOP administration opposes) to write the law in a manner that passes legal review they might be able to move on the issue

Comment by Just saying... Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:01 pm
I voted somewhat unlikely because I’m not certain the Governor can pick and choose the right amount of his agenda to broker a deal. I just get the feeling he’ll come to general terms, and then include “one more thing” because he needs to feel like he wins.

Comment by relocated Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:08 pm
Even though I’ve been predicting October, I voted somewhat likely because it appears there is a bit of movement. The devil is going to be in the details, whether or not there is enough on the table for it to become soup. I’ve already expressed my thoughts on what the deal may look like in the 2 cents thread.

Comment by RNUG Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:17 pm
- Goldwater Republican -

Madigan will deal if there is something in it for him. He’s hard but not stupid.

Comment by RNUG Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:18 pm
Very unlikely by the deadline.

Unless there has been progress made behind the scenes, I find it hard to believe that you can close the deal on these two issues in two days in this situation. Not that Madigan and Cullerton can’t move a major issue in 2 days, but that they won’t do it when it reads as “caving to Rauner.”

Comment by Century Club Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:18 pm
== the third way of workers comp reform: squeezing out costs from the insurance companies. ==

Yep. I suggested that is needed in the 2 cents thread; part of why I rated it a split victory. And if it doesn’t come together this weekend, that will be part of the reason it doesn’t.

Comment by RNUG Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:20 pm
Very Unlikely. Senate Dems said they MIGHT consider PTax freeze IF attached to education funding reform… in 48 hours (now 35)? No way. Plus, what will Rauner want in return for that? And, I submit, Rauner doesn’t want a deal. This is his chance to take the litte snow globe with the IL Capitol in the center of it and “shake it up”.

Comment by Hyperbolic Chamber Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:26 pm
Somewhat Likely - These are two issues they can work out. The question is whether Rauner is willing to settle for only these two?

Comment by Pelonski Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:27 pm
Voted somewhat. I don’t think the Dems want Rauner to shut the state down. If there is no agreement, I look for the gov to shut the state down.

Comment by Mama Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:28 pm
(And it is ohhhhh so funny to listen to H Republicans tell Chicago to ask for a PTax increase when their Gov. wants to FREEZE them).

Comment by Hyperbolic Chamber Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:29 pm
Voted very unlikely, I don’t think Rauner will settle for much less than everything that he wants.

Comment by AC Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:32 pm
Only voted “very unlikely” because there was no option for “no change in hell”

Comment by 1776 Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:47 pm
Only voted “very unlikely” because there was no option for “no chance in hell”

Comment by 1776 Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:47 pm
Done deal will get what he wants with attachments he don’t like

Comment by Anonymous Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:50 pm
“A property tax freeze always sounds good to voters, but it is not part of a “pro-business” agenda.”

Walker: Businesses are harder hit by the property tax than they are the State’s income and sales taxes. A property tax freeze would definitely be “pro-business”.

Comment by GA Watcher Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 2:10 pm
@GA: No real disagreement. Of course all lower tax proposals are of some value to businesses. My point was that property tax mitigation is not primarily focused on business as opposed to individuals. Tort reform and workers’ comp proposals are.

Comment by walker Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 2:21 pm
If a property tax freeze is enacted I wonder what the effect on the bond rating of Chicago, with its large pension funding problem, will be? Might Chicago’s bond rating be cut yet again?

Comment by Hit or Miss Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 2:30 pm
“A property tax freeze always sounds good to voters”

Honestly don’t understand why the governor is trying to sell me a property tax freeze; that’s all local, the state has nothing to do with it. I guess I’m too young to remember prior state-level meddling in local property taxes, but it feels so aggravatingly time-wasting. Rauner keeps talking about wanting more money to K-12 education, and police and fire, but … wants to freeze the property taxes that pay for them? I honestly don’t understand what this property tax push is about AT ALL or why it’s supposed to make me happy as a homeowner.

Comment by Educated in the Suburbs Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 2:33 pm
===what the effect on the bond rating of Chicago==

Tanked.

Comment by Rich Miller Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 2:33 pm
I voted somewhat likely, but I take issue with the loaded language of “bow to the gov.” Not my blog though, dude.

As a progressive independent and a business owner that pays $10,000s in workers comp, IL unemployment insurance, and property taxes, I am sincerely hopeful that Madigan and Cullerton are in the mood to really compromise with the Prince.

I have irrational fears that an employee is going to file workers comp on me because he/she fell off his/her own roof on personal time, that I will have to take back an employee that I fired with cause because they couldn’t make it 30 days at another job, that some crazy assessor is going to jack up my assessments and blow my accruals out of the water, and that 10 more taxing districts are going to be added to my list of 15 taxing districts on my tax bill.

Mr Rauner, please make sure while you are shakin’ up Springfield that you reform the CULTURE of some of the offices that you are now leading. IDES is a hot mess; you would be embarrassed if you spent a few hours over there on 9th St. Try calling over there and see if you can get a human.
Mr. M and Mr. C, please make sure that you know that there are some barn-doors that need to be tightened up and maybe closed on some of the worker protections that benefit our citizens, because not all the beneficiaries have good intentions and those of us that do need to be considered also.

Thank you.

Comment by cdog Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 2:35 pm
Voted very unlikely. Best explain my vote by paraphrasing a line from a film. === (They) are both professionals. This (has become) personal. ===

Comment by Norseman Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 3:17 pm
Voted somewhat likely. Still think Rauner knows he is better off with a deal than a protracted summer fight with unpredictable results. If he can get modest concessions towards his business agenda (there’s always next year)and raise the income tax back up to appease the Dems, he can natter on for years about his skills as a bipartisan deal-maker. Which may not be inconsiderable, if he pulls it off.

Comment by Cassandra Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 3:39 pm
I think it is very unlikely as Rauner’s ideas are drama, drama, drama.

Comment by AJ_yooper Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 5:36 pm
A property tax freeze is the king of bad ideas. It keeps coming around like a bad penny. It has the virtue that it sounds like it might be a good idea, but the reality of it is that schools and local governments have to make cuts nobody really wants to see.

Comment by DuPage Dave Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 6:13 pm
Like OW (my hero, no snark), iI voted somewhat unlikely. I can see a wc bill passing, but not a freeze on property tax.

Comment by G'Kar Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 7:53 pm