By Eric Stock
SPRINGFIELD – As the spending plan and tax hike measures goes on to the Senate after being adopted in the Illinois House late Sunday, Republican Leader Bill Brady of Bloomington told WJBC’s Patti Penn the new spending bill is a stunt that Democrats tried to rush through before lawmakers had a chance to read it.
PODCAST: Listen to Patti’s interview with Brady on WJBC.
“That puts us all in a non-transparent position,” Brady said. “I don’t know yet. Our staff has been working overnight to try to figure out what’s in that (budget).”
The tax increases got enough voted to override a veto from Gov. Rauner, but it’s not clear if the 15 Republicans who voted for the tax hikes would vote the same way a second time.
“I don’t know that we can get it done today that would be wonderful if we got everything done today,” Brady said. “I don’t think yesterday’s actions helped us, but we will pick up the pieces and see what we can do.”
Under the tax hike which the House passed in a 72-45 vote, the personal income tax rate would rise from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent, while the corporate tax rate would go up from 5.25 percent to 7 percent.
Illinois began its third consecutive fiscal year without a budget Saturday.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
