Illinois looks to federal money to
maintain services amid budget impasse
Send a link to a friend
[August 05, 2015]
By Karen Pierog
CHICAGO (Reuters) - With Illinois starting
its second month of fiscal 2016 without a budget, the Senate on Tuesday
passed a bill that has Governor Bruce Rauner's support to tap $4.8
billion in federal dollars to fund certain state services.
|
The 57-0 vote in the Democrat-controlled Senate sends the measure
to the House, which returns to session on Wednesday. The bill will
help fund programs that provide food and child care, help pay
utility bills for low-income families, support domestic violence
victims, and aid the disabled.
Earlier on Tuesday, social service agencies that rely on state
funding held a press conference in the state capitol in Springfield
warning that if the budget impasse continues, the nonprofit groups
will have to lay off workers and curtail critical programs.
The Democrat-controlled legislature has resisted the Republican
governor's call for the wholesale adoption of his agenda that
includes legislative term limits and business-friendly reforms
before he considers additional revenue for the budget for the fiscal
year that began July 1.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Aug/05/images/ads/current/elkhart_grain_daily_sda_022614.png) The Senate passed other bills aimed at keeping Illinois museums
open, convention center bonds paid, and to also address items on
Rauner's agenda.
Legislation offered by Senate President John Cullerton for a
temporary local property tax freeze, coupled with pension payment
help for the cash-strapped Chicago Public Schools passed the chamber
over Republicans objections that it left out cost-saving elements of
Rauner's proposal.
The Senate also approved legislation to retool workers'
compensation, with Republicans voting against the measure, while
noting major Illinois business groups oppose it.
The measure will do little to bring down workers’ compensation costs
and could actually make things worse, according to the governor's
office.
[to top of second column] |
![](../images/ads/current/richardson_lda_040113.png)
In a 51-6 vote, the Senate passed a bill allowing tax revenue
earmarked to pay off bonds issued by Chicago's Metropolitan Pier and
Exposition Authority for an expansion of the McCormick Place
convention center to be transferred to the authority without a state
appropriation in fiscal 2016 until a state budget is enacted.
The authority informed bondholders on Monday that the lack of a
fiscal 2016 budget meant that no tax revenue has been appropriated
and that a $20.8 million monthly debt service deposit was not sent
to the bond trustee last month.
The Senate on Wednesday is expected to take up a bill passed by the
House last week stopping a cost-of-living increase for state
lawmakers in the current fiscal year.
(Reporting by Karen Pierog; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Aug/05/images/ads/current/Symphony_lda_091814.png) |