This is a story about a meeting that was supposed to happen today, but didn't, for an arguably good reason:
House Speaker Michael Madigan needed to attend a funeral for his father-in-law, and the memorial service was out of state.
The meeting would've been the first between Madigan, Gov. Bruce Rauner and the other legislative leaders since the end of May. The group hasn't met since then to talk about the budget, or anything else really.
The group -- Rauner (R), Madigan (D), Senate President John Cullerton (D), Senate minority leader Christine Rodogno (R) and House minority leader Jim Durkin (R)-- agreed to reschedule their sit-down for December first.
Which begs the question:
"The reform groups that called this meeting put out a letter for it in October," says Amanda Vinicky, statehouse bureau chief for Illinois Public Radio. "So really," she laughs, "you gotta wait for December First?"
The meeting was urged by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, The League of Women Voters of Illinois, and the Better Government Association.
All this means that a budget remains out of reach until at least January, according to Vinicky. "Obviously, December is a big holiday month," she says, adding that any budget deal would need super-majorities in both legislative chambers. "So perhaps January would be a date," Vinicky says. "But then you're getting awfully close to the March primary."
Without a deal, state government will fall further behind on its bills. But Vinicky says the next big battle will involve public colleges and universities -- which have received no state funding since the fiscal year began July First.
"There've been warnings from Eastern and Chicago State," Vinicky says, noting both schools say they will continue classes, "but it's going to be difficult for them." This is why Moody's Investors Service downgraded the credit ratings of these schools, which makes borrowing more expensive. Moody's also downgraded four other Illinois universities: Northern, Southern, Western, Governor's State and Northeastern.
As dire as this seems, Gov. Rauner originally proposed a 31% funding cut to all nine of the state's universities. He also used his veto pen to remove $1.9 billion in operating funds for higher education that Democrats included in their version of the budget.
Illinois isn't alone in its fiscal problems, but it soon could be. One other state, Pennsylvania, has yet to approve its spending plan. But a pending deal could leave the Land of Lincoln the only state in the nation with a dysfunctional government. Still, as Amanda Vinicky observes, it probably won't be enough to move the state's leaders toward a deal.
"Rauner says he doesn't care so much about credit ratings," Vinicky says. "I don't think it'll be the Governor or Speaker Madigan worrying about the state's reputation that will move things forward."
