Quite temporary, as it turned out.
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Madigan says this package succeeded because Governor Rauner didn’t tie it to his “personal” agenda. “That happened here today”.
Democratic state Senate President John Cullerton said Wednesday morning that offers and counteroffers were being exchanged but offered no specifics amid new signs of optimism about a deal.
It’s been 18 months since Gov. Rauner has taken office.
Other newspapers such at the ‘Springfield Journal-Review’ and the ‘Rockford Register-Star’ reprinted slightly altered versions of what appears to be the same editorial which are highly critical of the crisis without holding either side more accountable for the impasse. Overall, the state would add about $250 million for low-income districts statewide.
Supporters were quick to note that the heavy lifting on a more complete budget lies ahead. However, no one should be fooled into thinking such a budget is a victory.
“This is not a budget”. “This is not a solution to our long-term challenges”. This is a bridge to reform.
Democratic leaders and Rauner crafted the agreement after days of negotiations amid increased public pressure to avoid entering a second fiscal year without spending certainty. Gov. Rauner himself has said our funding system is broken.
One of the major sticking points in negotiations leading up to compromise was how much the state would be willing to fund Chicago Public Schools, the cash-strapped district for which Rauner had gone so far as to advocate bankruptcy declaration. The good thing about it is our schools get to start on time and get our kids back in the schools for a year. Chicago will be allowed to raise $250 million in property taxes to help pay down the pension payments.
The stopgap measure also allows for the Illinois Department of Transportation to continue to work on construction projects after tomorrow.
But this silence may be a positive sign for passage of a budget that both the statehouse and the governor’s mansion can live with. Lawmakers held off sending the governor the bill on the city’s transit taxing districts.
The officials said the deal contains a proposal to have the state cover future pension costs beginning in June, like it does for all other IL school districts, but only if lawmakers pass legislation to reform the overall pension system.
Republicans and Democrats agree a tax increase is coming to balance the state’s debt.
On the last day of Fiscal Year 16, lawmakers put together a partial budget for Fiscal Year 17.
The stopgap budget includes money for universities, social services, prisons and other programs.
“All schools will get at least what they got previous year, and most will get more- many will get more dollars”. The legislation also restores funds spent by state universities to finance student grant programs which the state had failed to cover.
This month Moody’s Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings downgraded IL to the lowest level for a state in over a decade, and investors are still demanding the highest spread from IL out of all 20 states tracked by Bloomberg.
“I’m pleased that there appears to be progress”, said Rep. Lou Lang of Skokie, the No. 3 Democrat in the House.
– Authorizes more than $680 million for state operations, such as overdue utility bills and repairs to state vehicles.
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While there appears to be broad agreement on spending more on elementary and secondary education next school year, how much more remains contentious.
