“I don’t feel any personal animosity”, the governor said.
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Madigan called Rauner’s comments “regretful”. According to the administration, the Legislature failed to vote down automatic pay hikes this spring, triggering automatic cost-of-living increases that will boost base salaries by about $1,300 annually.
The House goes into session Tuesday and the Senate will reconvene next week.
It’s the first raise for members of the General Assembly in seven years.
Madigan said he wouldn’t engage in name-calling.
Madigan plans to hold a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
“I don’t think it’s a matter of a continuing appropriation, but I’m not going to spend a lot of time on the question”, Madigan said.
Despite the harsh words, the governor said the fight is not personal. That includes a property tax freeze, a limit on union power, a reduction in lawsuit payouts and changes to workers’ compensation, term limits and legislative redistricting.
And while Democrats say Rauner is holding the annual budget hostage while he pursues his own agenda, Rauner argues that’s not the case. Instead we get it, what, two weeks ago?
For months, Rauner repeatedly has said he won’t consider new revenue for Illinois until Democrats are on board with a number of systemic reforms in politics and state government.
The speaker maintains giving in to Rauner’s demands would be putting legislative Democrats and Republicans in the business of lowering wages and standards for the middle class families.
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Minus movement on the full budget, he said, the House will continue its work and respond with targeted appropriations bills.
