By Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – Like an engine that starts up but then sputters to a halt, votes on several of the bills part of the so-called “grand compromise” to end the budget impasse stopped after the pension reform measure failed Wednesday afternoon.
Republicans weren’t on board with Democrats.
Four of the thirteen bills part of the package created by leading Senators were brought up for a vote Wednesday. Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said it was beyond time to begin acting on the measures.
Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, said she knew some of the package were going to be brought forward, but wasn’t ready for the pension reform bill. “This is sort of out of the blue.”
“We talked about calling potentially…the low hanging fruit where there was agreement. This is a very major piece of legislation. It needs to be tied to the other pieces. I think this is a breach of our agreement,” Radogno said.
State Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said it’s time to move the package along. “Please, let’s pass two or three or four or five of the easy bills in this packages. We can continue to negotiate on the hard ones.”
State Sen. Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove, said there needs to be more discussion. “I wish that we could continue to negotiate until we can get to a greater agreement. Maybe that’s never possible, I don’t know. But I wish that we would have agreement to vote on the bills as a package.”
The three measures that did pass dealt with local government consolidations, low interest loans for municipalities and procurement reform. The pension reform measure failed. All Republicans either voted “no” or “present” on all the bills.
Cullerton’s office says the package remains “under construction.”
