Things did not go well in Springfield last night:
- As expected, the House sent Gov. Pat Quinn a package of bills before leaving the capitol that only partially fund his proposed spending plans for community-based services in the next fiscal year.
- Quinn vowed to veto the package, which does not include an income tax increase and instead requires significant cuts.
- Senate President John Cullerton claims the spending plan sent to the governor’s desk would carry a $6.2 billion shortfall, while the governor puts the figure closer to $9.2 billion.
- Meanwhile, the Senate failed to approve a pension borrowing scheme to free up $2.2 billion for next year. The Senate leader accused the governor of lobbying lawmakers behind the scene to vote against the plan, which he had earlier endorsed. Quinn denies the charge.
Quinn is expected to take "veto action" this afternoon and is scheduled to talk to reporters about the situation at 1:30 p.m. What a mess.
Particularly frustrating is the fact that, amidst all the talk of short-term fixes and political risks, lawmakers are passing up an unprecedented opportunity to both address those immediate concerns and also reform the state's regressive tax structure and inequitable school funding formula. As the negotiations continue, it's a chance progressives hope they won't pass up.
A coalition of unions, human service groups, and lawmakers held a press conference in Springfield yesterday to push for substantive reforms. One group represented was the Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, which has provided direct care to Illinois residents for generations. Spokesman Dan Schwick pointed out that social service programs have dealt with shrinking budgets for years. "We have gotten in the habit of expecting whatever crumbs fall, whatever is left over in the budget will be used to care for people in need," he told reporters yesterday. "That is a really messed up system."
A supporter of Sen. James Meeks' tax proposal (HB 174), Schwick says it's time the General Assembly passes a bill that won't require the state to "stumble by from year to year with paper clips and glue holding together a state budget that was not sustainable and that repeatedly underfunded services for those in need." Watch it:
Back in May, Rep. Will Burns "proudly" voted for HB 174 in the House Education Committee. Yesterday, he joined Schwick in calling for a full House vote on the measure. Why HB 174? According to Burns, "the issue is so stark and the alternatives are so clear." Meeks' bill -- which raises the personal and corporate income tax to 5 percent, doubles the state’s property tax credit, raises the personal exemption and the state's Earned Income Tax Credit, and eventually directs more income tax revenue towards education -- addresses both the gaping 2010 budget hole and the enduring structural deficiencies in our state government. "When you look at [HB] 174 in its totality, and you look at the challenges and problems our state has faced for a very long time," he said, "it becomes clear that now is the time." Watch it:
Cullerton said earlier this week that he is fighting to have "the elements of our proposal" considered in the budget negotiations. While it's hard to tell what's left on the table at this point, we'll be looking for those "elements" as the talks continue.
