By Eric Stock
SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Bruce Rauner said he’s prepared for a long summer in Springfield as the budget stalemate continues.
In an interview with WJBC’s Scott Laughlin, Rauner referenced a similar showdown then-Gov. Jim Edgar had with then-and-now House Speaker Michael Madigan in 1991.
PODCAST: Listen to Rauner’s interview with Scott and Colleen on WJBC.
“It took Governor Edgar until the third week of July to get a budget with Speaker Madigan,” Rauner said. “Speaker Madigan didn’t speak to him for the first four months. We are working hard (on a deal).”
Rauner said he’s already shown compromise; limiting his demands to local control of property tax relief, term limits, a change in legislative mapping and pro-business reforms.
Rauner has maintained that term limits and redistricting are key parts of the reform package he wants Illinois Democrats to support as part of his budget plan even though neither would directly impact the budget. He said there’s a direct link between the election process and how those in office behave.
“It’s politicians, elected officials who are locked in office as incumbents,” Rauner said. “They are there for decades and they protect the political class. “They make money from government. They make money from political power.”
With no budget done for July 1, Rauner pledged $400 million in spending cuts on Tuesday. That includes grounding all non-emergency state planes, banning the purchase of any new Illinois State Police vehicles and possibly closing one or two juvenile correctional centers starting July 1.
Rauner said the Democrat-controlled legislature left him no choice but to make deep spending cuts when they passed a budget that’s more than $3 billion out of balance.
“I’m still stunned this General Assembly … has passed another another unconstitutional, phony budget,” Brady said. “They did it last year and caused a crisis. They did it again. It’s amazing to me”
Rauner suggested the move is intended to force Rauner’s hand to support a tax increase.
AFSCME
Rauner said he won’t be swayed by the state’s powerful employee union AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) launching a public campaign for a new contract.
“AFSCME realizes they can’t intimidate me and they can’t influence me with campaign cash like they have with other elected officials,” Rauner said. “That makes them nervous that they can’t control
the negotiations unilaterally on their side.
AFSCME is planning to host events at work sites across the state to call for a ‘fair’ union contract.
Rauner said he’s not trying to lockout union workers or cause them to walkout. He says he will veto a bill that would ban AFSCME from striking or the state from locking them out. Contract disputes would be settled by an arbitrator.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
