Compromise Budget Plan Could See Action This Week In State Senate
Illinois Statehouse Brian Mackey/WUIS
Illinois Senators are expected to soon consider a complicated deal meant to end to Illinois’ 18-month budget standoff.
That has some legislators worried about what such a compromise would mean for the future.
The package includes an income tax increase, borrowing for the state’s debt, more casinos, changes to workers compensation, and raising the minimum wage to $11 an hour.
Senate leaders purposely left the battling Governor Bruce Rauner and House Speaker Michael Madigan out of negotiations.
Those two have not fully weighed in on the proposal, which leaves its future in question.
State Senator Kwame Raoul is a Democrat from Chicago. He says it might not be a good idea to have let a governor hold up so much state spending in order to pass his agenda.
“I think it’s a bad precedent to set”, said Raoul. “Well I’m not going to proceed on a budget until you do my list of 10 things. That’s dangerous."
The deal was negotiated Democratic Senate President John Cullerton and Republican Senate Leader Christine Radogno. They say it shows Democrats and Republicans can find middle ground on a host of issues, from taxes and spending, to business regulation and the minimum wage.