By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – With a looming veto of a $5.4 billion permanent tax increase to pay for a $36.5 billion budget, it’s uncertain if there will be any fireworks this Independence Day after Monday turned into a dud.
Fitch Ratings issued a statement saying that concrete progress had been made over the weekend to end Illinois’ more than two-year-long budget impasse and avoid the state being tagged with a junk credit rating, but the Senate didn’t take up the tax hike or budget bill Monday. The House passed that tax hike and budget bill late Sunday.
In a video posted to social media, Gov. Bruce Rauner said there needs to be reforms.
“Illinois families don’t deserve to have more of their hard-earned money taken from them when the legislature has done little to restore confidence in government or grow our economy,” Rauner said, reiterating his vow to veto the House tax hike.
Business groups also said Monday the state needs substantive reforms.
Illinois Manufacturers’ Association President and CEO Greg Baise said this has been the worst legislative session for job creators in Illinois. He said his members are dumbfounded “by the action that the Illinois House voted for these tax hikes without any kind of jobs reforms and the economic front in this state.”
Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Maisch said the reforms that have advanced so far won’t cut it.
“The so-called reforms that have passed out of the House thus far might actually increase costs to businesses and consumers,” he said.
Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, said Monday that reform negotiations continue.
“We will remain fully engaged on all of those issues but in particular workers’ compensation and a freeze on real estate taxes,” Madigan said.
Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, met with Madigan and said Republican leaders were a no-show.
“[Sen.] Brady looks forward to a meeting of the four legislative leaders,” Patty Schuh, Senate GOP press secretary, emailed Illinois News Network in response.
Madigan scheduled a leaders’ meeting for Tuesday morning. Both the House and Senate are in session for Independence Day.
The fiscal year started July 1, and there’s still no budget in place.
