Mixed messages came out of a meeting today between Illinois' governor and legislative leaders. It was their first meeting in months, even as Illinois is in the midst of an unprecedented budget standoff. Senate President John Cullerton left the meeting saying he got what he wanted out of it.
"The main thing I wanted to accomplish was to make sure that in the revenue side... that the governor was committed to being in favor of some revenue increases, and he said he was."
In other words, Cullerton got an in-person commitment from Rauner to an eventual tax increase. House Republican Leader Jim Durkin left pleased, too, with what he took as Speaker Michael Madigan's fresh openness to the GOP's pro-business agenda.
"This is great this is a reversal of the Speaker that we've been hearing for the past year."
"I will tell you from my perspective, I'm pretty skeptical."
Sen. Republican Leader Christine Radogno may have been wise to be cautious.
In a statement, Madigan says a budget *could* pass... IF the governor drops his agenda.
