Illinois' budget, and Governor Bruce Rauner's influence on it, will be examined by a special legislative committee. The House Speaker announced its formation today.
Speaker Michael Madigan doesn't say straight out that Gov. Rauner's sudden elimination of state grants for AIDS, autism, and after-school programs are to blame. But he hints at it, strongly.
In a press release, Madigan says he's forming the special budget oversight panel "in light of recent budget actions." Madigan says given how much the governor's talked about cutting "non-essential state spending," it's important for lawmakers to discuss just what that means.
Republican Rep. Ed Sullivan, who's from Mundelein, says it seems political.
"I want to see where the speaker wants to go with this, and it's just not an avenue to whack the governor for in essence doing his job."
The governor's office didn't directly respond to a question on how it viewed the committee, and if it'll cooperate. Rauner's spokeswoman offered a statement saying he's committed to fixing Illinois' fiscal crisis, and working with the legislature to do it.
