A much-anticipated meeting of Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner and the state's four legislative leaders is over.
It was the first time the entire group had gathered during Illinois' budget impasse -- which entered its sixth month. They talked behind closed doors for about an hour.
Republican House Leader Jim Durkin said little was accomplished.
"I think the governor's very clear about what he's looking for," Durkin said. "Nothing's changed. And that's not going to change either."
The gathering may have accomplished one thing --- the leaders say they've agreed to keep talking.
Another meeting could come as early as next week
Gov. Bruce Rauner closed the public portion of Tuesday's budget summit with a forceful plea to take on what he says are the root causes of Illinois' financial woes.
The Republican governor capped statements to open the budget negotiation with a familiar speech about the business and political climates in the state and the need to change them. He disagreed with statements made by Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago. Madigan has argued since summer that the changes Rauner wants to make are not related to the budget and should be discussed separately.
The businessman first-year governor wants to restrict workers' compensation and liability lawsuit payouts and restrict union power as a way to make business grow and produce more revenue.
He says "we'll still chase our tails'' if the state just raises taxes, as Democrats desire, without "structural reforms.''
Rauner and the leaders continued the discussion in private.
In his opening remarks, Durkin says there will never be enough revenue to feed Illinois' spending appetite without reforms of the type proposed by Rauner.
The Western Springs Republican says the budget deficit problem didn't begin with Rauner's inauguration in January. He criticized Democrats who held the governor's office and controlled the Legislature for the past 12 years.
Democratic Senate President John Cullerton of Chicago followed and criticized Durkin for the comments.
Cullerton says Democrats and Republicans cooperated on issues such as a massive capital construction bill during the 12 years of Democratic rule. And he says the GOP also voted for a temporary income tax increase because it was necessary.
Madigan opened the budget summit by arguing for a tax increase and spending cuts to balance the budget.
The Chicago Democrat led off by pledging to work cooperatively with the Republican governor but criticizing his desire to make changes to the business and political climates before working on a state budget.
Madigan says that state officials cannot "simply cut our way out of the budget deficit problem.''
The first part of the meeting was streamed online for the public. Madigan had suggested that the whole conference be public, but Rauner took over planning and allowed only opening remarks to be broadcast by a pool camera from the state's public communications agency.
Rauner and the Legislature's majority Democrats have been unable to agree on a spending plan now five months into the state's fiscal year.
- Illinois Public Radio Statehouse Bureau Chief Amanda Vinicky and the Associated Press contributed to this report.