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Rauner Signs Budget, Keeps Criticizing Taxes

Gov. Bruce Rauner signs the FY2019 budget, surrounded by the Democratic and Republican legislators who negotiated it, at the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago.
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Illinois Information Service
Gov. Bruce Rauner signs the FY2019 budget, surrounded by the Democratic and Republican legislators who negotiated it, at the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago.

Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed Illinois’ budget into law.

Brian Mackey reports.

This is the first full-year budget Rauner has signed since taking office more than three years ago.

He did so at a news conference in Chicago, flanked by the Democratic and Republican legislators who negotiated the compromise.

“Today we are having a small celebration,” Rauner said. “Today is a good day for the people of Illinois.”

Illinois’ finances spun out of control during the first two years of Rauner’s administration, when no full budgets were enacted. The chaos only ended last year, when 16 Republicans broke with Rauner and helped Democrats pass a tax hike over his veto.

Rauner says he’ll continue to campaign against the tax increase, even though he signed a budget that spends every dollar it generates.

The new spending plan takes effect July 1.

Copyright 2018 NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS

Brian Mackey formerly reported on state government and politics for NPR Illinois and a dozen other public radio stations across the state. Before that, he was A&E editor at The State Journal-Register and Statehouse bureau chief for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.