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* Rep. Greg Harris, the House Democratic budget point person, told reporters today his caucus would soon present its own budget plan. Leader Durkin said yesterday there would be no point in another leaders’ meeting unless the House Dems had their own budget plan.
House Speaker Madigan then talked to reporters…
“Once [the spending plan] is in place, the question is, can we work together to find the revenue to pay for that spending plan? And that’s where we come up against Gov. Rauner’s demands for an extreme right agenda. This is where, I said a few days ago, that the House Democrats will be fully engaged on every issue brought to us in the special session. Those issues will be property taxes, pensions, government consolidation, workers’ compensation. We’re fully engaged on those issues, we’ve designated members of our caucus to talk to Republicans about all of the issues.
Notice that the House Speaker didn’t mention term limits. That subject matter is also included in the governor’s special session proclamation.
* Back to Madigan…
“My prediction of two and a half years ago stands. If Gov. Rauner is reasonable on these issues, then we can finalize an overall agreement. The responsibility will lie upon the Republican leaders. Take the positions that will be negotiated between Democratic designees and the Republicans, take those positions to the governor and persuade the governor to be reasonable. It will be the responsibility of the Republican leaders, persuade the governor to be reasonable on these non-budget issues.
And then he talked about his own non-budget issues, like SB 1, the controversial Medicaid managed care contract and rate regulation on workers’ comp insurance companies.
* When asked about the 30-vote requirement for House Republicans, Madigan said, “That’s the responsibility of legislative leaders,” adding “Mr. Durkin’s predecessors were always able to do their job.”
Asked about a property tax freeze, Madigan said the House Revenue Committee will meet tomorrow morning and hinted that his property tax plan would be unveiled at that time. The hearing is scheduled to start at 8:30.
* With many thanks to Amanda Vinicky, here’s the raw audio…
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 3:11 pm
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The contradictions in this man’s comments are palpable. This is all a game to Mike Madigan — despite the damage he has caused, and is causing Illinois.
Nothing gets done. And then the politics really heats up.
Comment by Deft Wing Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 3:16 pm
=== When asked about the 30-vote requirement for House Republicans, Madigan said, “That’s the responsibility of legislative leaders,” adding “Mr. Durkin’s predecessors were always able to do their job.”===
1) “#TaxHikeMike” payback
2) This is response to all the negative ads Rauner refused to accept as unhelping… that, and a lot of other things.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 3:32 pm
For good or for bad the centerpiece of the GOP plan is a property tax levy freeze. Once MJM started describing it as part of an “extreme right-wing agenda” the odds of a compromise before July 1, went down the toilet. Mr. Speaker is whipping up his base while alienating his GOP rivals – not a great compromise strategy – especially with less than a week to go.
Comment by Lech W Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 3:34 pm
“Mr. Durkin’s predecessors were always able to do their job.”
Ouch.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 3:43 pm
Man it’d be great to be a fly on the wall in these rooms where meetings happen.
“If Gov. Rauner is reasonable on these issues, then we can finalize an overall agreement. The responsibility will lie upon the Republican leaders. Take the positions that will be negotiated between Democratic designees and the Republicans, take those positions to the governor and persuade the governor to be **reasonable**.”
Would be interesting to hear what Dems are proposing as a more “reasonable” version of Rauner’s labor reform and property tax ideas.
Comment by California Guy Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 3:43 pm
In Durkin’s defense, none of his predecessors were saddled with the GOP’s primary benefactor sitting in the Governor’s office pulling the strings on the entirety of the GOP.
Comment by Gruntled University Employee Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 3:45 pm
Take the word extreme away from Madigan and he would become mute. How can a property tax freeze be extreme when Illinois now has the highest frigging property taxes in the USA
Comment by Sue Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 3:53 pm
Strange that Madigan calls Rauner’s non-budget items “extreme right”. Considering Rauner won the election on those issues then most of Illinois is considered extreme right?
Comment by Maximus Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 3:54 pm
“Strange that Madigan calls Rauner’s non-budget items “extreme right”. Considering Rauner won the election on those issues then most of Illinois is considered extreme right?”
I don’t think Gov. Gaslight revealed the details of his turnaround agenda until after he was sworn in. He’d have never gotten elected otherwise.
Comment by Nick Name Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 3:58 pm
Re: the comment about Leader Durkin’s predecessors “doing their jobs”:
Madigan as Speaker has served opposite of only three House GOP Leaders: Lee Daniels, Tom Cross and Jim Durkin. I am not old enough to remember Lee Daniels’s full tenure but I do not seem to recall him getting along with Madigan on a ton of issues. The House Republicans all voted against SB 2505 - the lame duck tax hike - and Tom Cross’s caucus members never voted in favor of any House Dem spending plans. Durkin actually worked with Speaker Madigan on the 2013 pension reform. So what exactly is Speaker Madigan talking about?!
Comment by Curl of the Burl Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:04 pm
I wouldn’t give Rauner a property tax freeze–it’s just a populist talking point for his campaign–a change that will have little impact on residents’ tax bills but will make it difficult for school districts to keep up with ever increasing operating costs.
If Dems want to compromise on this item, I wouldn’t go beyond a 3 year levy freeze, excluding Chicago and CPS. No changes to collective bargaining or prevailing wage. No voter initiated referenda to lower tax levies.
Comment by James Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:04 pm
Rauner didn’t campaign on the majority of the issues he is pushing for, this is especially true during the general campaign.
The main reason Rauner won the election was because he wasn’t Pat Quinn.
Comment by The Dude Abides Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:06 pm
The fact that only republicans have written a partial budget without revenue and called it a compromise is enough evidence that this budget crisis was caused by republicans. You have never seen dems write a budget and call it a compromise and that no changes must be made to it.
Comment by Real Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:15 pm
Nick and Dude, he most certainly campaigned on those issues. Over and over and over, Radio, Print and TV.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:17 pm
@Maximus
You say that as if Rauner won 80% or even 70% of the vote. In fact he barely won at all. If it wasn’t for his money I highly doubt he would have ever been elected.
Comment by Real Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:19 pm
===Nick and Dude, he most certainly campaigned on those issues. Over and over and over, Radio, Print and TV.===
Nope. Good try.
Start with collective bargaining and prevailing wage sound bites AFTER the primary, then the Decatur PowerPoint.
Pick a name, get back to all of us.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:19 pm
Hey Real- Quinn had plenty of money courtesy of the Labor movement. Rauner won because the citizens of Illinois bought into the need for change. What we got was Madigan building a brick wall stalemating any changes all at the behest of his Union supporters who benefit from the status quo while the rest of us get to live in the morass called the State of Illinois
Comment by Sue Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:23 pm
“What we got was Gov. Gaslight refusing to compromise with the Democratic majority in the GA to get to 60 and 30 — even when he gets 90 percent of what he wants in a bill — building a brick wall stalemating any changes all at the behest of his Koch supporters who benefit from the destruction of the state while the rest of us get to live in the morass called the State of Illinois.
Fixed it for you.
Comment by Nick Name Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:32 pm
With regard to the mandate “debate” - the Gov won with 50.3% of the vote. Former Gov Quinn had 46.3% and minor candidates split the other few points.
Comment by titan Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:33 pm
Nope; Rauner won because he didn’t reveal his agenda; had more money; and Quinn alienated unions and they failed to rally behind an acceptable candidate (Dillard). Illinois did not vote for the Rauner agenda as he kept it to himself until after the election. Illinois did not vote for this kind of a governor.
Comment by Tired Teacher Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:34 pm
I’m beginning to think a legislative solution like Kansas may be our only way out of this mess.
Comment by LTSW Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:44 pm
Why is it when an R wins you Dems always challenge the legitimacy of the victor. We wouldn’t have Obamacare but for the unlawful indictment of Ted Stevens later reversed due to prosecutorial misconduct. And let’s not forget how that imbecile Al Frank won in MN when he had a 134 vote victory and it was later determined that 800 people voted who were ineligible. Does the word hypocrite only apply to Republicans?
Comment by Sue Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:48 pm
46% of Illinois residents voted to give Speaker Madigan and the Democrats total control over the agenda in Springfield.
It is comical to hear the Speaker say you don’t get everything you want in a governmental negotiation. It is also absurd to say the Rauner agenda is personal and totally unrelated to the budget.
The Speaker would have us believe state and local governments don’t pay workers comp insurance and pension reform would have zero impact on the budget.
What exactly has he conceded in the past two and half years to Leader Durkin and Governor Rauner?
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:50 pm
===zero impact on the budget===
More like Rauner’s projection of 1.4% savings attributed to his reforms was not worth racking up $15B in unpaid bills, junk bond status and devastating social services.
Even now, the remaining “reforms” do not have a COGFA cost savings analysis attributed to them so at the moment, the budgetary savings is appropriately set at zero. Ideology is not a mathematical construct.
Comment by Markus Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 5:02 pm
- Lucky Pierre -
You’re a victim to “winning”
Rauner 50.3% and had “veto-proof” Democratic chambers his first two years.
Rauner chose not to work with the chambers, but chose to push Labor issues, among others, that worked against Democratic core beliefs, and when it did matter, Rauner unlisted Ken Dunkin to prove, what was known by honest actors and followers of the GA; the House never, ever, ever, had a 71 vote veto-proof majority.
Now? Rauner needs a budget. Needs 71 votes. Needs revenue. Needs a win.
Now you want to be a victim?
Yikes man, how are you going to handle the Rauner Tax passage and signature?
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 5:04 pm
-Absurd to say that the Rauner agenda is unrelated to the budget ”
Tell me LP how much does Rauner’s turnaround agenda items save tax dollars or cut spending?
Rauner’s numbers don’t make much sense, not even a fraction of a percent for all this ALEC based nonsense.
To say this you must know that it’s really a substantial amount but don’t forget to cite your source!
Comment by Chicago 20 Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 5:08 pm
The Turnaround agenda was never even voted on because it would be embarrassing for many of the Democrats who voted against it.
If these are core beliefs why not proclaim them far and wide and make the case instead of ignoring them for 2 1/2 years? No one could say the Governor has not made the case for his agenda. Can you honestly say the Speaker has made a case for his?
He can’t even handle questions from the Illinois policy institute.
Could it be Democrats don’t think their core beliefs are shared by a majority of Illinois residents and Rauner’s proposals aren’t “extreme right wing positions?” Could it be that the Speaker and his policies are extreme and not in the mainstream even in a blue state?
I am sure plenty of Democrats don’t think a property tax freeze is extreme.
It would have been much smarter for the Speaker to allow the legislature to vote on the Governor’s bills as written and then claim with absolute sincerity they tried to pass them but could not.
Then they could have passed a budget out of both chambers with their huge majorities with all of their great ideas and dare the Governor to veto it.
It would have been much easier to blame the impasse on Rauner if they at least tried to meet him halfway rather than stonewalling him.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 5:17 pm
- Lucky Pierre -
Rauner is at 58% disapproval, has no budgetary victories, has social services closing, laying off workers, and state university presidents talking about hoping to stay open… and school districts planning when their own money runs out.
Rauner has a deal going with Durkin and Madigan, and Durkin needs 30 House votes for the Rauner Tax to pass, along with Rauner’s budget.
Keep up.
That’s where we are.
Your victimhood of Rauner’s failures, you should be more concerned about what’s ahead. Four days. Rauber needs a deal.
You sound more and more unhinged, ignoring what is happening today, and try to go on these tangents that lead nowhere.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 5:30 pm
If I sound so unhinged why do you have to respond to every post? As you said, without a hint of irony, criticizing other commenters is sign of the weakness of your argument.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 6:09 pm
“Mr. Durkin’s predecessors were always able to their job,” said the Speaker on June 26, while he was preparing his first budget of the session.
I have a hard time taking this guy seriously, but he has too much power to ignore.
Comment by cdog Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 6:14 pm
===If I sound so unhinged why do you have to respond to every post?===
You should like the attention, LOL
I highlight all your short-comings. You should thank me.
===… criticizing other commenters is sign of the weakness of your argument.===
Exactly what I said.
===
Rauner is at 58% disapproval, has no budgetary victories, has social services closing, laying off workers, and state university presidents talking about hoping to stay open… and school districts planning when their own money runs out.
Rauner has a deal going with Durkin and Madigan, and Durkin needs 30 House votes for the Rauner Tax to pass, along with Rauner’s budget.
Keep up.
That’s where we are.
Your victimhood of Rauner’s failures, you should be more concerned about what’s ahead. Four days. Rauber needs a deal.
You sound more and more unhinged, ignoring what is happening today, and try to go on these tangents that lead nowhere.===
I explained, I gave examples, I went through what the Post is talking about, the challenges, and then… at the end… addressing your continued ignoring of things that are being discussed, and your documented tangents that you’ve been called out on… repeatedly.
After I deconstructed your ridiculousness to what is happening… today… you’re more concerned about the impression YOU give?
Yikes, man. I stand by my comment a lil bit more, lol.
You’re worried and want to discuss this 2 1/2 years hand-wringing. Durkin and Madigan are now talking roll call totals, including one for the Rauner Tax. Again, keep up.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 6:16 pm
–Why is it when an R wins you Dems always challenge the legitimacy of the victor. We wouldn’t have Obamacare but for the unlawful indictment of Ted Stevens later reversed due to prosecutorial misconduct.–
What are you babbling about? Don’t drive today, okay? Reminder: weekend’s over, it’s Monday.
Stevens — in his fortieth year as Senator — was indicted by the Bush Justice Department on July 29, 2008. He was prosecuted by the Bush Justice Department and convicted on Oct. 27, 2008.
In April 2009, Attorney Gen. Holder filed a motion to to set aside the verdict and dismiss the indictment with prejudice due to prosecutorial misconduct.
Maybe you should look things up before you do that thing you do.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 7:17 pm
Bush Justice department, that is a good one.
In the last election 97% of the contributions went to Hillary a 32-1 advantage.
no politics whatsoever over there
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 8:32 pm
–Bush Justice department, that is a good one.–
I’m quite certain that Bush was president in 2008.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 8:36 pm
OW speaking of shortcomings, as David Niven said to the streaker at the Oscars
“probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his entire life is stripping off and showing his shortcomings”
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 8:36 pm
===“probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his entire life is stripping off and showing his shortcomings.”===
Arguably the best ad libbed line in live television history. Well played.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 8:39 pm