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* Finke on the leaders meeting…
Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno of Lemont said she remains “pretty skeptical.”
“We’ve had a lot of working groups, and (Madigan) disavows any knowledge or interest of them every time,” Radogno said. “I think ultimately the working group needs to be the speaker himself and the leaders because he manipulates the process and then nothing happens. That’s what I’m worried about.”
Video of Radogno’s remarks, along with House GOP Leader Jim Durkin’s comments, is here.
* Petrella…
The meeting was the first of its kind since rank-and-file lawmakers last week presented leaders and the governor with a framework for a balanced budget for next year. That outline included roughly $2.4 billion in spending cuts and $5.4 billion in new revenue, which would be generated in part by raising the state’s personal income tax rate from 3.75 percent to 4.85 percent.
After the meeting, Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said Rauner reiterated his willingness to raise new revenue to balance the budget.
“That’s, I think, very helpful,” Cullerton said, “because if you don’t have revenue, you could never possibly come to a balanced budget.”
Cullerton said the governor declined to go into specifics about what revenue proposals he would support. The package lawmakers presented also included expanding the state sales tax to some services, an idea Rauner campaigned on.
* Sfondeles…
While Cullerton labeled the meeting productive, Madigan issued a statement shortly afterward, saying Rauner continues to insist upon passing his “personal agenda” before discussions on a state budget could happen. […]
Shortly after the meeting, Madigan gathered enough votes to pass a bill to fully fund MAP grants — funded from the state’s general revenue fund. Rauner has said he’ll only approve spending bills if they come from special funds or from cuts. Lawmakers tried to pass a bill to fund tuition grants in February, which Rauner vetoed.
In a statement about the MAP bill, Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said the governor remains “committed to reaching a balanced budget alongside meaningful reforms in a bipartisan manner.”
* Team Tribune…
And so the political games that have marked a budget stalemate in its 11th month continued.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 9:47 am
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–meaningful reforms–
If they are truly meaningful in the economic and fiscal senses, then there must be some way to quantify and articulate that.
For example: How long would it take for those reforms to cover the nut of the $6.2 billion FY16 deficit?
How long would it take those reforms to “create” the thousands of jobs that have been lost due to the lack of a responsible budget?
It’s surreal to continue to talk about “reforms to grow the economy” in the abstract when you are willfully inflicting measurable economic and fiscal damage in their names right now.
Sell it, with numbers and projections, just like you would with a business plan.
If you can’t, all you’re selling is partisan political snake oil. And doing grave economic and fiscal damage in the process.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 9:57 am
Most accurate description of the meeting:
They met. They talked for x minutes. They left.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 9:58 am
As someone mentioned yesterday, this “impasse” — and the (permanent, I suspect) lack of a budget is a feature not a bug.
This is Rauner finally getting his chance to inflict the same old tiresome, dangerous, and ineffective neoliberal ideas that he’s been espousing for years.
We’re the petri dish.
BTW — I’d still love to get a hold of Rauner’s old e-mails — when he was using email — from his “email list” that Emanuel begged to be removed from. I suspect everything here — and everything until 2018 — is in those emails.
Comment by Formerly Known as Frenchie M Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 10:01 am
I like how they use the word REVENUE instead of tax increases. who do they think they are fooling.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 10:09 am
Rep Radogno- I echo your skepticism of the speaker and his intentions.
Just curious if you would say the same thing about my skepticism of the governor, his intentions, and his math?
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 10:12 am
I like how they use the word REVENUE instead of tax increases. Who do they think they are fooling
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 10:13 am
Serious question (as I’m not studying this stuff on a daily basis): Has anyone put forth a serious idea of any kind that achieves significant cuts to the level of spending in the state budget, other than what is being called “Rauner’s personal agenda”?
Comment by BigDoggie Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 10:17 am
I’m going to stick with my new favorite word that Rich’s QOTD made me find yesterday:
Pattsituation
aka Mexican Standoff, stalemate, impasse, etc.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 10:17 am
Sounds like Madigan does not subscribe to the old adage of “lead, follow, or get out of the way.” /s
I guess FUBAR is an option of which I was unaware. /s/s (that’s double snark:)
Comment by cdog Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 10:20 am
RNUG- “Pattsituation
aka Mexican Standoff, stalemate, impasse, etc. ”
See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NMrPB6UjBU
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 10:24 am
== the governor remains committed to reaching a balanced budget alongside meaningful reforms.==
Translation: Give me what I want and you have my “word” I will release the hostages.
Comment by Jocko Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 10:36 am
I second Wordslinger’s motion.
Comment by GA Watcher Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 10:40 am
“That outline included roughly $2.4 billion in spending cuts and $5.4 billion in new revenue”
Sure would love to hear some more details to those BIG numbers.
Sacrifice is necessary; hopefully the pain is reasonably distributed.
Comment by cdog Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 10:50 am
I do not understand peoples surprise when Madigan does not give in to the Turn Around Agenda.
How many times does the Speaker have to say that he wants to address the budget before he even considers anything else.
Comment by MOON Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:09 am
Great article in Rolling Stone about just how the Republicans have sold out their voters by supporting so-called *supply side* tax cuts (and to certain degree Trump has figured this out).
It didnt work in Kansas. It isnt working in Wisconsin. It wont work in Illinois.
The only thing Bruce ran on was *Quinn bad*. Otherwise he is a continuation of failed economic policies.
Comment by Stanley Motss Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:14 am
MOON- “…how many times…”
Infinity + 1 apparently.
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:17 am
RNUG -
Instead of the German, “patsituation” seems more appropriate here.
As in “Patsies.”
Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:55 am
“great article in Rolling Stone” better than the bogus UVA gang rape one? Once the fraternity is done with them they may own the magazine
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 1:27 pm
For once I may agree with Lucky Pierre. I haven’t read a word from that rag since the truth came out on that story.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 1:53 pm
Any tax increase should only go towards the backlog of unpaid bills. Increasing taxes and then using those new revenues to fund government programs might produce a balanced budget, but it doesn’t wipe out the backlog. The unpaid bills (those that have been submitted to the Comptroller) don’t need to be budgeted — they reflect appropriated expenditures.
Comment by Say no to big government Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 2:58 pm
- Anon221 - @ 10:24 am:
Perfect !
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 4:42 pm