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Illinois Senate vows swift action on ambitious budget plan

Jan 16, 2017 | WLSAM Staff

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois Senate leaders are hoping to move swiftly on their pledge to advance a state budget compromise by month’s end.

The Democratic-controlled chamber has assigned 13 pieces of legislation for committee hearings that aim to break the two-year budget deadlock between legislative Democrats and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

The proposals include an income tax increase and a hike in the minimum wage, but also attempt to satisfy Rauner’s pro-business agenda with a property-tax freeze and restrictions on workers’ compensation awards.

The deal was negotiated between Democratic Senate President John Cullerton and Republican Leader Christine Radogno. They wanted to make a splash by getting Senate approval before the last General Assembly’s session expired. But Radogno had trouble convincing her GOP members to rush a vote.

Radogno promised to have Senate action before Feb. 1.

Illinois Republican leader: Reform before tax hike

May 28, 2015 | WLS-AM Staff

By John Dempsey, WLS News

The head of the Republicans in the Illinois Senate is telling WLS her party is open to an income tax increase, but only if Illinois Government is reformed. Lemont State Senator Christine Radogno told “The Big John Howell Show” on WLS, that reforms must come before revenue. “I think that people might be open to that but certainly not if there’s no reform to put the brakes on spending. That’s the only way extra money is going to solve the problem, and Democrats are absolutely uninterested in that” Radogno said.

LISTEN to State Senator Christine Radogno on “The ‘Big’ John Howell Show” here.

The majority Democrats in the Illinois House and Senate are advancing a $36.3 billion dollar budget that Republicans say has a three billion dollar deficit. Democrats have voted down a series of measures that they say represent budget cuts Republican Governor Bruce Rauner wants to make. Republicans say those votes are a sham and are designed not to give the measures a fair hearing, but to score political points. Rauner has said Illinois needs structural reform in areas such as workers compensation, limiting large jury awards in civil lawsuits, and giving local communities the right to limit unions.

It appears the legislature will miss Sunday’s deadline to adjourn it’s spring session, which means a long summer overtime session is likely.