Just how Republican Governor Bruce Rauner plans to deal with Illinois' budget remains a mystery.
He's is set to finally unveil his ideas Wednesday, when he gives his budget address. But legislative leaders got a preview Tuesday.
House Speaker Michael Madigan walked out of the governor's office with this to say about his meeting with Rauner:
"The governor simply said that he's got some tough medicine to deliver."
It's expected that tough medicine will come in the form of deep cuts -- perhaps for everything from Medicaid to higher education.
That's because Illinois' income tax rate dropped at the start of the new year. And Madigan says Rauner doesn't plan to propose any tax increases.
Madigan, who leads a supermajority of Democrats, says like Rauner, he too wants to eliminate Illinois' deficits. But Madigan says he doesn't believe the state can cut its way out of its financial problems.