Illinois legislature OKs new state budget
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- Illinois lawmakers reached a budget deal that according to Governor Pat Quinn "didn't get the job done." He says it postpones tough decisions.
Additionally, in a party line vote, Democrats passed election reforms. They include allowing Election Day voter registration, extended early voting and in-person absentee voting on college campuses. Republicans called the changes-- ordered only for the November 2014 election-- politically motivated.
"To slam this in at the last second I think is wrong. It's bad policy," said Republican Minority Leader Rep. Jim Durkin.
"They might be concerned that too many vote and they might lose the election," said House Speaker Rep. Michael Madigan.
Earlier, in another partisan vote, Senate Democrats okayed the next fiscal year's budget.
"While this budget is decisive, it is not complete," said State Sen. Dan Kotowski, D-Park Ridge.
Sen. Kotowski told his colleagues that just under $36 billion is not enough to fund Illinois government for an entire year. But without the will to extend higher tax rates or make budget cuts in an election year, the money will run out sometime next spring.
"You're going to see social service providers, hospitals, nursing homes getting delayed in payments. You're going to see layoffs," said State Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago.
The state's 5 percent temporary income tax rate is set to be rolled back to 3.75 percent on January 1, causing a $1.8 billion revenue shortfall in six months.
"When the income tax sunsets, we're going to be in a real bad situation in this state," said State Rep. Harris.
"I think this state can live within the revenue we receive with the tax increase sunsetting," said State Sen. Christine Radogno, R-Lemont.
Republicans say the Democrats' "incomplete" budget includes delays in making some payments and inflated revenue projections.
"You're going back to repeating the things you said created the problem and you're doing it willingly," said State Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine.
Despite super-majorities in both chambers, Democratic Gov. Quinn failed to get enough support from members of his own party to extend the higher tax rates. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, who visited the state capitol Friday morning, blamed the past misdeeds of both parties as he defended his fellow Illinois democrats who struggle to fix fiscal problems.
"The governor, the mayor, the General Assembly are trying to put this back on track. It is not easy," said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois.
Governor Pat Quinn, who called for the higher tax rate to be extended, wrote Friday night: "the General Assembly sent me an incomplete budget that does not pay down the bills but instead postpones the tough decisions."
"The governor didn't get everything that he wanted. That's the nature of the legislature. That's the nature of American government," said Madigan.
