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| Some Legislators Belive Massive Cuts Aren't Needed |
Legislative leaders still don't see eye to eye on how to raise additional state revenue to fill an $11.6 billion budget gap and avoid major cuts to social service programs across the state.
Illinois Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) says she believes those massive cuts can be avoided come July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year. "I believe it is a manufactured crisis to the extent we do not need to have those draconian cuts on July 1," Radogno said as she emerged from a meeting among the four legislative leaders and the governor Wednesday in Chicago.
But Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) disputes that and says the budget gap is real and so are financial cuts. "That's not true," Cullerton said. "We have appropriated all the money we have. The governor can't spend money as if we have it for the whole year when we don't."
Gov. Pat Quinn also disagrees with Radogno. "I don't think that's responsible," Quinn said. "You can not begin the fiscal year and start spending money that may run out half way through. That's no way to run a government or run a business."
House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) was asked about the lack of Democratic votes in the House when the budget containing a tax increase was brought up for a vote. Just 42 of the 70 Democrats voted for the tax hike, and no Republicans voted for it. Madigan blames Republicans for the lack of votes and the failure of the increase.
"There were a certain number of House Democrats who said, quite frankly, I'm not going on a roll call where it's Democrats only," Madigan said. "There ought to be a cooperative program, Democrats and Republicans."
House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) says Democratic leaders continue to ignoring suggestions by Republicans. He believes reform must come before a tax hike. "If you were in Springfield, you would see, week after week after week, meetings held by [Quinn] and [Madigan] and [Cullerton] that we weren't invited to," Cross said. "That’s fine. They made a point of letting us all now that they ran the place and they didn't need us."
Lawmakers will return to session Tuesday, June 23rd ostensibly to pass a capital bill.
(Illinois Radio Network) |
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| 06 17 09 by Newsroom |
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