Illinois Budget

Everytime I ask my friend in Chicago when exactly is the State Budget supposed to be finished I never get a real answer. Anyone really know how the process is supposed to work and when the budget is supposed to be finalized?

 

Good question Seitz9010.

I was thinking we must be due for an update on the situation.

Perhaps there will be no more updates until the budget is finalized?

I can't find anything recent from the Governor's office.

Anybody got anything current?

 

July 6th Article.

S&P's grade on Illinois budget talks: F. No, make that an F minus. Comments Print
By Thomas A. Corfman
Illinois General Assembly Illinois Legislature Bruce Rauner John Cullerton Michael Madigan Government and Politics Labor and Workforce Pensions Taxes State Government More +

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Reflecting the frustration of many Illinois residents, Standard & Poor's Financial Services today called the deadlock over the state budget a “failure in the fiscal policy-making process.”
Even as it left the state's credit rating untouched at A-, S&P did not hesitate to offer its opinion about the stalemate between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic legislative leaders. Democrats are seeking tax hikes to avoid big cuts in spending. Rauner has tried to push the budget debate beyond financial issues, seeking concessions from Democrats on issues ranging from workers' compensation to personal injury compensation and local property taxes.
“Actions both sides have taken so far suggest that they are digging in for a protracted budget negotiation,” the report says. “We have yet to see either side exhibit flexibility on their core policy objectives.”
Rikeesha Phelon, a spokeswoman for Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, said in an email, “If one side's definition of flexibility and compromise is that the other side must completely change their ideology—then it's hard to believe that that is a good faith negotiation.”
'BUDGETARY GIMMICKS'
The lack of a budget for the fiscal year that started July 1 doesn't affect bondholders, since the state's ability to make those payments is covered by a continuing appropriation, an ongoing authorization separate from the annual budget process.
“The absence of a budget, while not affecting debt service, reflects a failure in the fiscal policy-making process,” the report says. “While an extended legislative session can sometimes result in an improved structural alignment or adoption of substantive policy reforms, it can also lead states to resort to budgetary gimmicks.”

The budget impasse will expand Illinois' already hefty backlog of unpaid bills submitted by vendors, weakening its financial position for fiscal 2016, according to S&P. Protracted budget negotiations could hurt the Illinois economy, the report says, noting the state's dismal rankings in year-over-year growth in personal income, population and employment.

S&P expected the logjam. Illinois was one of 10 states where budget negotiations would drag out through the summer, according to a June 4 report issued by the New York-based credit rating agency. Across the country, 46 states have fiscal years that end June 30.
The Illinois General Assembly passed a $36.5 billion budget that Democrats acknowledged was short at least $3 billion in revenue. Rauner vetoed the bulk of that budget, proposing a $31.5 billion spending plan that also was unbalanced, but called for deep cuts.

The Democratic leaders are prepared to compromise, their representatives say. Cullerton has shown a willingness to negotiate with the Rauner administration on local property taxes and has initiated talks on fixing the state's underfunded pensions, according to Phelon, the Senate president's spokeswoman.

The Legislature has shown flexibility by passing a “compromise” workers' compensation bill and a bill to revamp the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, said Steve Brown, a spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, who has opposed Rauner's attempts to use the budget to gain leverage on other issues.
The House also has taken votes on freezing property taxes, which failed to pass, Brown said, adding, "Some people don't want to recognize, the governor has not been terribly persuasive in converting public opinion and the mind of legislators to support his ideas."

Rauner has compromised on a number of items on his legislative agenda, but "Illinois needs to change the current system by enacting workers' comp, pension and tort reform, as well as freezing property taxes, enacting term limits and reforming our redistricting process," his spokeswoman, Catherine Kelly, says in a brief email, which singles out Madigan's refusal to bargain.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2015
Governor’s Office Statement on Legislature Taking Pay Raise while Passing Unbalanced Budget


SPRINGFIELD - Lance Trover, Director of Communications, issued the following statement:

“Speaker Madigan and the legislators he controls will leave town without a responsible, balanced budget and without any reforms while taking a pay raise for themselves. That’s unfair to taxpayers and the people they represent. It is time to stop protecting the political class at the expense of the middle class.

“Everyone knows the status quo is broken and Illinois needs to change. Governor Rauner is committed to enacting a true balanced budget and real reforms to grow the economy and free up resources to protect the most vulnerable. The legislature should join the governor in committing to move the state forward.”

 

Illinois House agrees to eliminate FY 2016 lawmaker raises

• Reuters

• Jul. 28, 2015, 4:41 PM
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Thomson ReutersRepublican Bruce Rauner smiles after winning the midterm elections in Chicago, Illinois

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Illinois House on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill stopping a cost-of-living increase for state lawmakers in the current fiscal year, which continues to lack an approved budget.

The 101-1 bipartisan vote sends the measure to the Senate, which is scheduled to return to session Aug. 4.
Republican Governor Bruce Rauner has publicly criticized Democrats who control the legislature for allowing their paychecks to grow, while Illinois struggles financially.

Despite the near unanimous vote, the standoff continues between Rauner and Democrats over a budget for fiscal 2016, which began July 1.
House Speaker Michael Madigan, who sponsored the bill, said despite making "a good faith effort to meet the governor half way," the impasse continues. He said the bill follows other actions by the House to accommodate some of the governor's so-called turnaround agenda, which includes worker compensation reforms and a local property tax freeze.

"We are involved in a historic struggle between two branches of government," he said on the House floor.
The bill removes a $1,350 per legislator pay increase, saving the state $238,950. Following the vote, Rauner's office released a statement making it clear that he is still pushing for structural reforms. Last month, he vetoed most of the $36 billion budget passed by Democrats because it was short about $4 billion in revenue.

Illinois has a chronic structural budget deficit, as well as the lowest credit ratings and worst-funded pension system among the 50 states.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Michael Madigan's daughter, is keeping the state's options open regarding a 2013 cost-saving pension reform law voided by the state supreme court in May on constitutional grounds.

Lisa Madigan asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday for an extension until Sept. 10 to file a possible appeal of the ruling by the state's high court, which rejected Illinois' argument that it needed to invoke police powers and cut pension benefits to deal with a fiscal emergency.
"With the decision in the City of Chicago's pension case late last week, we are continuing to consider all of the arguments and the best next step,” her office said in a statement.

A Cook County Circuit Court judge on Friday struck down a 2014 law aimed at shoring up the shaky finances of two Chicago retirement systems. That ruling also cited protections for public worker pensions in the Illinois Constitution.
(Reporting by Karen Pierog; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Read the original article on Reuters. Copyright 2015. Follow Reuters on Twitter.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/r-illinois-house-agrees-to-eliminate-fy-2016-lawmaker-raises-2015-7#ixzz3hOLOK24F

 

This cannot be good for anything (WSRC) that continually costs the state money to operate and maintain with no probablity or possibility of financial reward or even just breaking even ... That would be in the negative column and add to the states financial woes considerably as it has in the past $22,000,000 in 10 years) ... It will not take much of an arguement to eliminate the cost of something such as the WSRC and move on besides the fact that the democrates were involved in the building and existance of same ... They do not take giving up their raises lightly ... WPT ... (YAC) ...