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White says budget stalemate could mean power shut off at driver’s facilities

A Rauner aide said on Friday that the governor’s office reached out to White about his letter and shares concerns about other cash-starved functions within state agencies under the governor’s control.

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White noted that by suspending the service, which will save approximately $450,000 per month, his office will be able to prolong the ability to mail vehicle registration renewal stickers, titles and license plates to vehicle owners for a few months longer before the postage account is depleted. His office would also be unable to mail “critical incorporation paperwork needed for businesses in Illinois”, White said. However, White’s office noted, motorists who have signed up for email reminders will continue to get them.

Environmental groups have warned that the state budget standoff could lead to more trash headed to landfills across Illinois. In Illinois, the secretary of state oversees driver services, maintains state records and runs security and maintenance at the Capitol. White is determined to prioritize hard cuts to ensure his office can provide core services to the public for as long as possible.

Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democrat-controlled state Legislature can’t agree on a spending plan for the fiscal year that began on July 1.

“We hope (White) will also join us in encouraging his friends in the legislature to fulfill their constitutional obligation to pass a truly balanced budget”, Rauner’s spokeswoman, Lyndsey Walters, said.

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The first-term governor has said he wants business and union reforms in conjunction with a state budget, but Democratic legislators say they’ve considered measures Rauner wants in several overtime sessions.

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