Senate President John Cullerton is a Chicago Democrat who says the new governor’s budget cuts too much.
He cites Rauner’s call to cut state aid to universities, public transit, and 18-year-olds who are wards of the state - saying citizens will end up paying more.
“I’m not looking to start a fight with our new governor. I want to work with him. But I don’t work for him. And his budget doesn’t work for Illinois.”
Governor Rauner has framed his proposal as getting the state’s spending under control.
And he says Cullerton is undermining negotiations on a hole for the current budget, that’s causing daycare centers to lose their state money.
Cullerton says his staff has met with the governor’s aides - but no negotiations have started yet.
“Maybe that’s what they do in Washington or the private sector but my staff is there to look at language and that sort of thing, go over viable options, but we haven’t had an actual negotiation.”
A spokesman for the Republican Governor says Cullerton has met with Bruce Rauner - but has chosen not to discuss the current $1.6 billion budget hole.