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Gov. Bruce Rauner says the spending plan he will present during his budget address next month will be balanced, but would include spending cuts.

Rauner, who spoke with reporters after meeting with small business owners at the Edwardsville Public Safety Building, said he would not give specifics about possible cuts in the 2018-19 budget. […]

The state House is scheduled to go back into session Jan. 23 and the state Senate on Jan. 30. Rauner’s State Of The State Address is scheduled for Jan. 31, and his budget address is scheduled for Feb. 14.

“I have proposed a balanced budget every year I’ve been governor,” Rauner said.

* Politifact last year…

Gov. Rauner said he proposed a balanced budget.

“Today we present you with a balanced budget that shows what is possible if we all come together on a comprehensive approach to state finances and job creation” the governor told lawmakers.

Yet, the budget book produced by the governor’s office of management and budget suggests the budget is balanced by “working together on a grand bargain.” A so-called grand bargain budget compromise, though, has not been achieved or enacted.

Illinois government finance experts agree Rauner’s proposal is not balanced.

We rate this claim Pants On Fire.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 1:54 pm

Comments

I don’t know at this point if it is funny or sad. Zero self awareness and clearly believes we are all really really stupid

Comment by theq Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 1:58 pm
Pants and T-shirt on Fire.

Hopefully, Rauner will be defeated this year. I don’t want to think of what else could be combusted.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:04 pm
“…working together on a grand bargain” that he killed.

Comment by Roman Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:05 pm
Biker vest on fire.

Carhartt on fire.

Ugly plaid shirt on fire.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:07 pm
Rauner is playing games. He has been playing games for the past 4 years. Time for a change.

Comment by Illinois Resident Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:07 pm
“working together on a grand bargain”

Ah, the new budget balancing algorithm developed by NASA. Or BTIA.

Comment by City Zen Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:08 pm
Rauner’s mantra I Lie to Myself…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu0rHfUzT2Y

Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:08 pm
Now the question is… Will any media outlet follow up the Governor’s ridiculous statement, as Rich did, by reminding their audience that this claim is a lie? I’m not holding my breathe.

Comment by Concerned Dem Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:09 pm
Phonies gonna Phony.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:11 pm
“Pants On Fire.”
Either 1.4%’s pants are made of nomex or his aides are walking 2 steps behind with an arm load of extinguishers.

Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:11 pm
“I have proposed a balanced budget every year I’ve been governor,”
Well, he is a legend in his own mind.

Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:13 pm
“Governor Bruce Rauner, a governor who has never signed a full year’s budget in his three years as governor, says about his budget… “

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:14 pm
It’s not a lie if you believe it . . .

Comment by Henry Francis Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:17 pm
Perfidy uber alles

Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:20 pm
“It’s not a lie if you believe it”

Yes. It. Is.

Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:20 pm
So is Rauner’s budget going to be “balanced” at the current income tax rate or the 3% rate under which he claimed he could balance the budget in 2014?

Comment by Dance Band on the Titanic Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:21 pm
Maybe he was thinking of Book 2 of the Hunger Games triology: “Catching Fire.”

Comment by Skeptic Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:21 pm
I wonder if Rauner’s only shot at reelection would be to propose an actual balanced budget, complete with billions in cuts horribly damaging to needy groups across the state. You know there are many who would love to see damage to “undeserving” state workers and the poor.

Comment by Jibba Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:29 pm
Proposing a budget is part of his job. If he’s not going to do that, he should resign now.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:31 pm
-1.4%’s pants are made of nomex-

Perhaps that’s why they fit so poorly. Hard to iron a tight crease and sew a good hem into that stuff.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:35 pm
=== - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 3, 18 @ 1:14 pm

…

I wondered that aloud yesterday…

Rauner going to sign a budget with that tax increase balancing that budget?

Rauner is a governor… that can’t sign a budget… as it will ruin his chances for re-election.

How. Warped. Is. That?===

To ignore that Rauner signing a budget, in May/June/July that Rauner sees as balanced and uses the tax increase to do it… can’t be reconciled the way Rauner wants to run his fall campaign.

That’s how warped Rauner is and needs to be to think he can win.. by not having a budget, again, as a sitting governor.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:37 pm
I knew that “half true” thing wouldn’t last.

Comment by Keyrock Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:37 pm
“By a lie a man throws away, and as it were, annihilates his dignity as a man”

Immanuel Kant

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:37 pm
This is going to be one humdinger of a session.

Comment by Nick Name Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:58 pm
Rauner cannot fail. Ultimately, he can only be failed by the moochers and parasites who cannot grasp the paradise he is trying to create in this state. Their numbers may be more than Romney’s 47%, and so he may fall, but not due to any fault of his, understand. He will hold his head high. He tried to save us, but we chose to drown.

Men of Rauner’s age seldom change. Those of his wealth and “personality type” never do. He’s not deluded in the sense that he doesn’t know his budgets are unbalanced. He lies and in his morality - in his business, personal and political lives - the ends always justify the means. So, prepare for a fourth budget proposal that resembles the first three.

Comment by Moe Berg Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 2:58 pm
When was the last time Illinois actually had a balanced budget? Not a claim by a political party/operative that it was balanced but verified from the outside. Looking for a friend or a link of some sort.

Comment by Just Visiting Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:03 pm
(in my best Obi-wan voice) These aren’t the draft budgets you’re looking for.

Comment by Jocko Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:13 pm
Does he wear pj’s made out of nomex like little kids wear?

Comment by Flynn's Mom Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:15 pm
sixty five percent seems to be some of the people all the time

Comment by Rabid Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:22 pm
Here’s my thought, once a year on a cold January morning Rauner wakes up early in the morning, changes out of his sleeping leather vest, blames Mike Madigan the loud bird chirping outside his window, and declares loudly: “I propose…A BALANCED BUDGET”.

His staff, for the 3rd year now, don’t inform him that he can’t just make such a declaration and have it count, but they’ve also decided to not inform him that it is okay to call David Duke a racist and that saying “I’m not in charge” isn’t a good choice of words.

Comment by Swift Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:26 pm
–“I have proposed a balanced budget every year I’ve been governor,” Rauner said.–

Ask Katrina, she’ll tell you the same — and has. Credible and honest, like Rauner.

All politicians lie to a degree at times, but this guy is something else. He is, day in and day out, profoundly contemptuous of the citizenry.

He’s a walking, talking insult to your intelligence. That must be why he wanted the gig because that’s the one thing he does every day. He was Trump before Trump was cool.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:26 pm
I miss when the Rauner bots used to show up in these comments and at least try to say something in support of him, even if half-true or worse. It’s like they’ve just given up.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:29 pm
Hic. hic.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:30 pm
“ He was Trump before Trump was cool.”

Wordslingers comments are one of these reasons (besides the info) that I read this blog. Top notch.

Comment by Lamont Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:32 pm
“…Rauner bots used to show up…”

Lucky Pierre is slinking around somewhere.

Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:36 pm
Does anyone here believe that if Rauner is defeated we will have a balanced budget in 2019? Anyone?

Comment by Birdseed Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:38 pm
Yessir, he’s dumber than a bag of hammers.

Comment by Generic Drone Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:44 pm
===It’s like they’ve just given up.===

An echo chamber is hard to beat.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:44 pm
If you look at his Facebook page (among other places), it is clear that many voters:

1. Believe Rauner has offered balanced budgets; and

2. Blame Madigan for the budget.

There is no amount of argument that will change their minds. They simply want to believe the GOP and not believe the Democrat.

That, more than the presence of Madigan, explains why Illinois is in the condition that it is in.

When voters reject reality, it is difficult to elect quality people or to get tough votes on bills.

Comment by Gooner Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:45 pm
“Ask Katrina”-watch out word, she’ll block you on Twitter.

To the Post, I think the pension funding increases will moderate a bit in FY 19, but not enough to balance the budget, especially if the bill backlog and/or the FY18 deficit are addressed at all. The latter may be a wild or naive assumption on my part.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 3:54 pm
Moe Berg @ 2:58 nails it.

Comment by Ole' Nelson Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 4:05 pm
The only way Rauner “balances” a FY19 budget, especially at 3%, would be to short pension, employee health care, and K-12 spending

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 4:11 pm
=The only way Rauner “balances” a FY19 budget, especially at 3%, would be to short pension, employee health care, and K-12 spending=

Pension is $6 billion plus just on the debt. He might be able to do it just with that. Which would be bad.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 4:53 pm
AA - Some agencies have residual FY16 and FY17 deficits that have to be addressed as well as the FY18 deficit.

Comment by Original Rambler Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 4:55 pm
Rauner hasn’t accepted the responsibilities of being Governor for the past 3 years. Now entering his 4th year are we to believe that he is ready to take on that responsibility that comes with the office. Color me skeptical.

Comment by The Dude Abides Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 5:42 pm
== He might be able to do it just with that. ==

Still has a backlog of past agency spending, unauthorized computer services procurements, court ordered union back wages (but only if appropriated), and previous employee health insurance bills … all of which he also needs to cover.

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 6:46 pm
Points of Information re balanced budgets

“When was the last time Illinois actually had a balanced budget?”

Illinois last ended its fiscal year with a general funds budgetary surplus (GF available balance > lapse period spending) in FY2001, when the AB was greater than LPS by some $300 million.

As measured by declining budgetary deficits, Illinois last had a balanced budget (current year spending less than current year revenues) in FY2015, when the deficit declined by slightly more than $1 billion.

If unfunded pension liabilities are included, Illinois likely has never had a balanced budget since the state assumed responsibility for certain public employees’ retirement benefits a century ago. Nor is the state likely to have a balanced budget under this concept for the foreseeable future, as the unfunded liabilities totaled roughly $129 billion as of 6/30/17, roughly three-and-a-half times the estimated general funds revenues for FY 2018.

Sources: Illinois Comptroller Reports, Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.

Charlie Wheeler

Comment by charlie wheeler Wednesday, Jan 17, 18 @ 7:07 pm