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Capital bill roundup

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* The four leaders met with the governor yesterday

As the spring session of the General Assembly ticks toward its conclusion, House Republican Leader Jim Durkin said he needs to see far more details on a capital plan before he’ll be able to convince House Republicans to support it.

Durkin said a late afternoon meeting between Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the other legislative leaders failed to produce many details of the $41.5 billion capital plan, including how to pay for it.

“There still has not been anything put on paper for us to take back to the caucus,” Durkin said. “I know we’re a few days (from adjournment), but things need to speed up. If Democrats are looking for support from my caucus, I just can’t go in with general statements.” […]

“It’s going to be important for funding this,” Durkin said of gambling. “There’s no clarity, no consensus on that, either.”

* More

Republican Senate Leader Bill Brady, of Bloomington, called it a “nice meeting,” while House GOP Leader Jim Durkin, of Western Springs, said there’s still “no clarity, no consensus” on a range of issues with just seven days remaining in the legislative session. […]

The meeting added “some clarity” on a capital improvements bill, Durkin said, but “still not anything to put on paper.”

“Democrats, if they’re looking for support from my caucus, I just can’t go in with general statements, I need to see a plan in place,” he said. […]

Brady called Democrats “reserved about talking about details” on some of the capital spending until the group can “define the revenues” that will be received from some proposals that are still in limbo. Still, he said he thought “things can be worked through,” and he also said a gambling expansion bill could add more revenue for vertical infrastructure.

“I’d rather not give up on a vertical plan,” he said. “But horizontal is obviously a high priority for us.”

* And

House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, said infrastructure was another topic, but he said the Democrats started the process late and no bill has been filed with the details.

“We could have done this earlier, but you know what, we’re in the minority and we’ll manage, but I can’t sell something that is going to be left to guess or something that doesn’t have something specific in it,” Durkin said. […]

Durkin said what’s been proposed will be hard to sell to Republicans.

“I will just say there’s a lot of taxes that we’re seeing,” Durkin said.

The leaders meet with the governor again on Monday.

* Related…

* Illinois lawmakers continue to craft gambling expansion plans as deadline looms: “Anything can change here,” Rita said.

* Governor defends slew of proposed tax increases to fund infrastructure plan: “It’s important that they’re stable revenue sources because you need to go bond them out, and in order to get people to buy the bond you have to have a stable source to pay the bonds,” Pritzker said Wednesday. “So that’s why we did that.”

* Tollway promises new vote after chairman approves subcontract with former employer: HBK’s subcontract is anticipated to be less than $150,000, which comes out to be .5 percent of the total contract, tollway officials said.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 24, 19 @ 10:33 am

Comments

  1. No clarity. No consensus.

    See you next year.

    Comment by Ok Friday, May 24, 19 @ 10:39 am

  2. Can we spend a measly $20B on roads now, see how that goes, then see how the next $20B should go?

    Comment by I Miss Bentohs Friday, May 24, 19 @ 11:05 am

  3. ===but he said the Democrats started the process late and no bill has been filed with the details.===

    ===“We could have done this earlier, but you know what, we’re in the minority and we’ll manage===

    What? Just because your party is in the minority means to fawn helplessness?? Victimhood is not a good look for Durkin.

    Nothing is preventing Durkin from bringing his own ideas and solutions on a capital bill to the public. Oh Wait. He does not have anything concrete, so he would rather act helpless.

    In the history of the US, a lot of individuals and small groups/people in the minority have done more with less people than are in the IL GOP.

    Comment by Big Jer Friday, May 24, 19 @ 11:08 am

  4. Durkin is behaving badly. I never thought I’d say this but Bill Brady is a veritable statesman.

    Comment by Chicago Cynic Friday, May 24, 19 @ 11:09 am

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