 With strong majorities in both the Illinois House and Senate,
Democratic lawmakers can push through a budget proposal without
Republican support up to May 31.After May 31, all proposals
require a higher vote tally for passage. Democrats would have the
votes in the Senate chamber but would need at least one Republican
to side with them in the House.
A budget proposal by Senate Democrats already passed in the state
Senate a couple of weeks ago and could get consideration in the
Illinois House next week.
State Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, thinks House Speaker
Michael Madigan will bypass Republicans and use the House Democrats'
majority to push a budget proposal through .
"He's probably thinking, 'We get in, we get it done, we take a
couple of days of criticism rather than dragging this out,'" Bomke
said. "I don't think he gains anything by trying to drag it out and
blame it on Republicans."
The budget proposal passed by the Senate dictates spending
amounts for agencies and programs throughout the state. It doesn't
address the structural deficit the state faces as state expenses are
outpacing state revenues.
The state's annual pension contribution is part of that
structural deficit. Lawmakers are considering borrowing money to
make this year's contribution as well as a so-called "pension
holiday," delaying its contribution until next year and paying
interest.
Earlier this month the Illinois House voted on a borrowing
proposal to make this year's contribution, but the proposal failed
by a considerable margin.
State Rep. Rich Brauer, R-Petersburg, said lawmakers are stuck in
a difficult situation with the pensions.
"I think it's very important that (state pensions) get funded at
the proper level. And certainly borrowing is one of the worse ways
to do it, but I think a pension holiday is even worse than
borrowing," he said.
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Gov. Pat Quinn has called for a 33 percent hike in the state's
income tax, to go toward education and ease the structural deficit,
but state Rep. Raymond Poe, R-Springfield, believes that option
isn't being seriously considered.
Lawmakers could also try to cut billions of dollars in state
spending to close the gap.
But Poe said Democrats are biding their time until after
November's general election before deciding on longer-term
approaches to the state's fiscal problems.
"I don't think it's right that everything's going to happen after
the election. But it seems to me that's the political side of it,
and (that is) what's going on now. They're wanting to wait and see
what happens," he said.
In November, voters will elect either incumbent Quinn or state
Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, as governor.
If Quinn wins, lawmakers say a tax increase could be imminent,
especially when the voting threshold returns to a simple majority
later this year.
But Bomke said that the political implications of budget
negotiations have to take a back seat to the budget situation
itself.
"We cannot continue to kick the can down the road. We need to
have a plan. And that plan should not be a budget that takes us for
seven or eight months," he said.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By KEVIN LEE]
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