Advocates ask for long-term view ahead of speech

Gov. Bruce Rauner is set to give his second State of the State speech Wednesday, one that aides say will focus on reshaping state government, even as distrust runs rampant at the Capitol following a week of campaign-style attacks the Republican launched against ruling Democrats.

Rauner also called for holding schools more accountable through testing and offering low-income students more “quality school choice options”. So is Senate President John Cullerton, a Democrat. On the day before his speech, unions and human-services groups that assist seniors and low-income residents criticized Rauner for failing to pass a spending plan.

“The Responsible Budget Coalition should know the first step in having a responsible budget is having a truly balanced budget”, said Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly. Sha-Niyah’s mom, Shanikka Love, says her baby girl is being hurt the most by the impasse, because it has cut off funding for programs Sha-Niyah needs.

“It’s wrong to put other issues, other agenda items, other personal agenda items, in front of coming up with a state budget”, said Dan Lesser, director of economic justice at the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law in Chicago.

Rauner says the commissions reforms “will lead to fewer victims of crimes, a pathway back for ex-offenders, and safer communities for all”. They say he’s so bent on union-busting, he’s forced a budget crisis. Gov. Bruce Rauner takes pride in not being like any of Illinois¿ previous governors.

“We’re in the Stone Age with our software systems, and every department is basically on its own to create its IT infrastructure”, Rauner said at a press conference announcing the move Monday.

“The inability of our elected leaders to do their constitutionally mandated jobs and pass a budget is leading to systemic collapse of the safety net that we all rely on to keep kids and communities safe”, stressed Andrea Durbin, CEO of the Illinois Collaboration on Youth.

“We’ll also talk about our challenges, and our failings so far”.

“This is not about an ideological fight this is about a continuing what we do, giving people an education so they can get out of this life with what they want”, said Gomez.

And he’ll repeat earlier calls for fixing the state’s massive pension debt, which stands at $111 billion.

Still, the situation underscores the deep mistrust between Rauner and Democrats who control the General Assembly and demonstrates the tough road ahead for the governor as he builds on the agenda he spent much of his first year pushing unsuccessfully.