By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – A proposed amendment to the state constitution could eject legislative leaders of both parties from their posts if there’s no balanced budget.
Despite the state constitution requiring an annual balanced budget, Illinois hasn’t had a spending plan for 19 months. Some argue the state hasn’t had a balanced budget for over 15 years because of growing unfunded pension liabilities and other debts.
Republican state Rep. Thomas Bennett said his proposed state constitutional amendment would give some teeth to the state’s balanced budget requirement.
“If you don’t have a budget, then something happens and basically the leadership is gone and then we have a certain number of days to select a new leadership and then get a budget,” he said. “If that doesn’t happen within a certain number of days, we start all over again. And this process continues until we have a budget that is balanced and one that we can work with in the state of Illinois.”
The proposal is House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 10.
Bennett said he hopes the proposal gets somewhere, even if previous attempts didn’t.
“Basically, this bill came out of frustration and anger from folks all across the state of Illinois,” he said.
Without a budget the state is on autopilot, spending millions more a day than it’s bringing in — “and so, of course, our debt increases,” Bennett said.
“We haven’t had a budget in two years and the constitution does call for a budget which the governor presents and the General Assembly looks to find the right balance of revenues and expenses,” he said.
Bennett said he’s hopeful the measure will start a conversation about the importance of the state constitution’s balanced budget provision.
Gov. Bruce Rauner will deliver his budget address to lawmakers in Springfield Wednesday.
