Illinois Democrats began to unveil their new state spending plan, which looks a lot like the current one. That's despite Illinois having billions of dollars less, thanks to a rollback of the income tax rate in January.
Even before the details were made public, Gov. Bruce Rauner's office was out with a statement tearing into the proposal -- and its architect, House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Early on, the new Republican governor was pretty clear about where he stood on the budget. He was looking for a tradeoff. As Rauner introduced a proposal in February that didn't just cut but slashed state spending, he left open the possibility of a new tax, or a tax hike, with the caveat that "before revenue should be discussed, reform is essential."
House Speaker Michael Madigan that day was just as upfront about his position. He called Rauner's idea reckless.
"The elimination of the deficits will require a blend," Madigan said "service cuts, plus new revenue"
Neither has moved from his position, which is why Madigan and his fellow Democrats are pushing forward a plan -- without the GOP.
Madigan says the cuts Rauner proposed would harm Illinois' disabled population, its elderly residents, and would destroy middle-class families. Democrats' $36.3 billion dollar proposal includes smaller spending cuts, nearly across the board. Elementary and high school education gets a bump, as does the Department of Corrections.
Illinois also has to increase what it puts toward pensions, in an effort to pay down debt owed to the retirement systems. Madigan says Rauner's inclusion of $2.2 billion in savings from a new pension proposal was most of what made Rauner's proposed budget reckless. Madigan pointed out that, since a Supreme Court ruling earlier this month that closed possibilities of legally reducing state workers' and retirees' pensions, the governor has not put out a new budget taking the lack of savings into account.
Madigan is up front about the obvious drawback of Democrats' plan: "We will publicly acknowledge that we don’t have the money to pay for this budget, that there will be a shortfall," he said. "But we're prepared to work with the governor, negotiate with the governor to raise the money so that there is a balanced budget."
Madigan suggests that about $3 billion more is needed. Republicans dismissed that outright.
"I don't know who in the world would ever consider a tax increase with the accounting system and the budgeting process that you have engaged in," GOP Rep. Dwight Kay of Glen Carbon said during a public safety appropriations hearing Monday. "This is something a third-grader would do,"
Rauner spokesman Lance Trover issued a statement that places blame squarely on the Democrats:
"Speaker Madigan and the politicians he controls are walking away from the negotiating table and refusing to compromise on critical reforms needed to Turnaround Illinois," the statement reads. "The Speaker and his allies in the legislature are sorely mistaken if they believe the people of Illinois will accept doubling down on a broken system that has failed Illinois over the last dozen years."
Circling back to what Rauner said during his budget address and has repeated since, he would only be open to a tax hike if he got what he calls "reforms." That turns out to be a multi-faceted package that includes making workers' compensation cheaper for businesses, limiting how long legislators can serve in office, limitations on civil lawsuits that can lower defendants' liabilities, and a freeze on property taxes.
While Democrats maintain these won't make a dent in solving the state budget, Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno says she couldn't disagree more.
"The reason we're in the shape that we're in is because we've had such a long history of mismanagement and corrupt practices that have increased the cost of doing business in this state, driven people out of the state, Radogno said. "All of that impacts the budget."
But so far, Rauner's ideas were handily rejected. The governor put out what he calls "compromise versions" on Friday.
Still, Madigan says it's time for the governor to move on.
"I'm not going to say that the gentleman went wrong," Madigan said. "I'm not going to say that. What he's attempting to do is mix apples and oranges. He's attempting to bring these non-budget issues into the budget-making. That's where there' a pretty serious difference of opinion between he and I and other members of the legislature."
It's an impasse, and both sides appear to be deeply entrenched.
Democrats have more than enough members to get a budget through by the end of this month. But the governor could veto the budget outright, or reduce spending via line-item reductions.
Democrats still have enough members that they could override those vetoes, but barely; it's definitely not an automatic, given the sometimes fractured caucuses. They may not even get the chance, since Rauner could just not spend all he's been given authority to, as a de-facto way to make his cuts.
Democrats may hope that huge cuts would cause such a ruckus and up the pressure on the governor to the point Rauner will be willing to talk revenue.
But it's risky. Already, Rauner is criticizing Democrats as entrenched insiders and as tax-and-spenders who are at fault for the state's troubles. He has a $34 million campaign fund at his disposal, and he wrote in a recent newspaper column that he's prepared to keep lawmakers in Springfield in an overtime session if he doesn't get his way with his agenda.
"You know, issuing threats really is not helpful to this process," Madigan said as Sunday's deadline nears. "It doesn't make people feel good about other people."
It will take extra votes for a budget to pass and take effect if it's not resolved by May 31. That's not an empty threat; it's in the constitution.
