Democratic Illinois Senate President John Cullerton of Chicago says he wishes the House had sent Gov. Bruce Rauner a budget because it included much of what the Republican wanted.
The Illinois General Assembly adjourned its spring session Wednesday without meeting the May 31 deadline for adopting a state budget. It’s the third year in a row legislative Democrats have been unable to reach a deal with Rauner.
Cullerton worked with Republicans all spring to produce a $37 billion budget that was at Rauner’s spending level. It included $5 billion in new taxes and Cullerton compromised on spending reductions and property tax relief that Rauner wanted. But Rauner threatened to veto the plan and the House didn’t vote on it.
Now it will take three-fifths supermajority votes in both houses to approve a budget if one is to take effect before the fiscal year begins July 1.
