Quinn, Assembly Continue Budget Battle

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Jun 30, 2009 5:40PM

We're less than 12 hours from the deadline to pass a budget that won't completely mess with the state's finances and it seems we're no closer to having a solution than we were before. Last night, the House approved a plan to borrow $2.2 billion to help soften the blow of the expected cuts, but Gov. Quinn isn't too happy about it and, though it still has to pass the Senate, he seems hell-bent on making sure a tax increase is somehow passed. Without saying he'd veto it, Quinn did say, according to the Tribune, "If they throw that my way tonight, they will see it thrown right back at 'em. For those who might be advocating things in the budget that are unfair, are not humane, or indecent, I'm not going down that road."

The stand-off has also led to some other moves by state lawmakers. Per WGN-AM:

Despite Quinn's ever-present optimism, dissatisfaction with the governor revealed itself as rank-and-file lawmakers cheered on Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) during a speech on the House floor. Lang lifted a legislative hold he placed on four measures authorizing a $29 billion public works program, funded in part by legalized video poker in bars. That will send the measures to Quinn.

Lang put the hold on the bills after Quinn, who initially urged quick passage of the measures, made no commitment to signing them until a full state budget was approved containing an income-tax increase that lawmakers have been reluctant to support. "We have just gone through six years of a governor that attempted to use the Illinois General Assembly as his own personal play toy and you and I for those six years were fed up with that," Lang said, comparing Quinn to his predecessor, the arrested and ousted former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Lang said he doesn't have a commitment that Quinn will sign the bills, but he encouraged lawmakers to make sure that the governor heard from them.

Will we have a fully-approved budget by the time the clock strikes midnight? It seems doubtful and what happens after that won't be pleasant.