Illinois lawmakers discuss state budget hours before deadline to pass it
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- Illinois lawmakers went down to the wire as they were back on the floor Saturday for discussion to pass a budget just hours away from the deadline.
The talks come after Democrats unveiled a proposed $55 billion budget Friday night.
The proposal aims to raise $1 billion in revenue through some tax hikes, but there are concerns about mass transit funding, too.
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The spending plan would see no change to the state's income or sales tax, but additional revenue would be raised through tax hikes on gambling, vape products and tobacco.
This budget has to get passed by May 31st, or it will take a much higher threshold percentage of the vote to pass it.Laura Washington, ABC7 Political Analyst
"The two biggest issues are filling a major budget gap in the overall general budget, and also reform of the transit agencies, and making sure that the transit agencies are not only fully funded, at a time where they are losing a huge amount of federal money, but also making sure there has been a lot of reforms instituted," ABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington said.
Those transit concerns are being felt in the suburbs, where Kane County leaders Friday called on lawmakers to reject proposed changes they say would leave them short-changed.
"We're not the end of the Metro line in Elgin," Elgin Mayor David Kaptain said. "We're the beginning of the Metro line that goes in Chicago."
Ahead of the deadline Saturday, Illinois Republicans responded to the proposal.
"You know how it's a bad budget? When it starts out with at least a billion dollars in tax increases. Yet again, that's where we're headed," said Sen. John Curran, R-Downers Grove. "As we're working through it, to find out what's in it, and we're getting amendments hour by hour."
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"I think they'll get something done tonight, but the proof will be in the pudding in terms of what the details show," Washington said. "This is typical of what happens in Springfield when we get down to the bottom line. This budget has to get passed by May 31st, or it will take a much higher threshold percentage of the vote to pass it."
The spending plan is more than 3,300 pages long.
Lawmakers have until 11:59 p.m. Saturday to get a budget passed.
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Capitol News Illinois contributed to this report.
