Rauner’s call for a balanced budget strikes a chord

The time for excuses and blame is over. Not this time. He gave a more conciliatory message, and talked about “mutual respect”.

Before the speech in the House chamber began, the Capitol rotunda was flooded with protesters calling for an end to the seven-month impasse.

While Rauner, R-Winnetka, softened his rhetoric and made pitch for conciliation, he also made clear he’s not backing away from his “Turnaround Agenda”, which he says is necessary to improve Illinois’ sorry financial condition and halt an out-migration of jobs and people.

IL is in its seventh month without a budget.

Southern Illinois residents weighed in on what they’d like Gov. Rauner to talk about.

Democratic leaders say Rauner still wants right to work legislation and the elimination of the state’s prevailing wage law. “The governor should also be limited to two terms of four years”.

While the impasse did not come up until late in the speech, the governor considers the items on his agenda to be part of the budget, though many Democrats disagree.

“Illinois’ existing policies were meant to help working people and the middle class but are now having just the opposite effect”, Rauner said. He also says he wants to hold schools “truly accountable for results”.

The solution in IL, in Chicago and in the 5th State Senate District isn’t to break unions, it’s to invest in our schools.

The memo also included quotes attributed to Rauner. In just a few weeks, Gov. Rauner will present a budget plan for next year, even as the turmoil over this year’s unresolved budget continues.

“Until I see substantive progress, my patience with this charade of cooperation has all but dissolved”, said Senate Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, a Democrat from Maywood.

“In 2007, before I came to Springfield, GOP leadership asked me what my top three priorities were, and I said budget, budget, and budget”, Bivins said. Illinois’ current prison population is about 49,000.

“Undeterred and unashamed, AFSCME is demanding $3 billion in overall compensation”, the governor said.

“We need to add adequate funding for our public schools we need to find our necessary funding to nursing homes assistant living centers and hospitals”, Bill Haine (D-Illinois), Illinois State Senate, said.

And, for this scenario to work, the choice would have to be removed from the collective bargaining process.

They said at a news conference Tuesday that the Republican governor’s ideas would hurt the economy and families.

IL has the worst-funded pension system of any US state and is roughly $111 billion in debt.

While Rauner twice referred to Cullerton, he never mentioned House Speaker Michael Madigan in his speech. Rauner continued by saying his administration is focused more on prevention practices and paying providers for “value” rather than volume, but did not provide details.

“I pledge to work with any and all who want to fix the many issues that were outlined today”, Davidsmeyer wrote in a release.

Democrats are big supporters of community care. He later reversed course.

For Brandi Husch, a student trustee at John A. Logan College, she says she’s hoping higher education will be on the agenda.

The Republican is delivering his second State of the State speech Wednesday.

Chicago, however, would lose block grants that it now qualifies for, Cullerton said. Rauner suggested making changes to the worker’s compensation program and freezing property taxes for homeowners and small business owners. Cullerton acknowledged that members of the State legislature might be reluctant to support the legislation if the other key components of a state budget were not passed.

“We are committed to eliminating wasteful bureaucracy, putting more money into classrooms”, said Governor Bruce Rauner. Rauner has spent months berating Democrats for failing to get on board. “They’re high because this state does not fund public education the way all the others do. And those that are suffering the most are the ones that need it the most”.

Cullerton: Oh yes, Speaker Madigan is the one that first championed the Tier 2 pension reform for all the new hires. Protesters waved signs and yelled “Rauner says cut back!”