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 The measure, which passed with a veto-proof 71 votes, now heads
back to the Senate. That body, also controlled by Democrats, passed
a $2.26 billion temporary spending bill last week. However, that
bill did not include a provision for worker paychecks.
House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie said the one-month budget
would allow Illinois to fund critical services for the disabled,
elderly and others, while making sure state workers get paid. But
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin said the bill was a futile
exercise.
"It won't be signed into law and we'll be back at square one," he
said, after blaming Democrats for the state's fiscal mess.
A spokesman for the state's biggest union, American Federation of
State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, said a St. Clair
County judge on Thursday ordered the state to pay its workers.
That contradicted a Tuesday ruling by a Cook County judge who said
state workers cannot be paid in full and on time without an enacted
budget. The first paychecks for fiscal 2016, which began July 1, are
due out on Wednesday, July 15.
The House vote came after a lengthy debate in which Republicans
pointed fingers at Democrats over Illinois' huge fiscal woes. There
was also name-calling. One lawmaker even sang a made-up song about
the state budget with lyrics that included "Budget, budget we need a
budget now." Illinois has the worst-funded pensions and lowest
credit ratings among the 50 U.S. states.
Currie said Republican Governor Bruce Rauner will be able to use his
veto to alter the bill.
Lance Trover, Rauner's spokesman, blasted Democratic House Speaker
Michael Madigan and his members, saying they "irresponsibly voted
for yet another unbalanced budget plan."
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On Wednesday, Rauner dared Madigan to push a tax hike. He also made
it clear he would not consider new revenue until the legislature
adopts his agenda that includes a local property tax freeze and
legislative term limits.
At a press conference following the House session, Madigan made it
clear his members cannot accept most of the governor's agenda. He
also held out the possibility Rauner may reverse course as he did on
other matters and sign the one-month budget.
"If you follow the governor's action day by day, there's a lot of
u-turns in the road," Madigan said.
The governor last month vetoed a $36 billion full-year budget passed
by Democrats because it had a $4 billion deficit. The Senate is
scheduled to be back in session on Tuesday. In the meantime,
Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced on Thursday a deal
with credit unions to offer state workers interest-free loans until
payroll resumes.
(Reporting By Karen Pierog; Editing by Richard Chang and David
Gregorio)
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