Republican Governor Bruce Rauner and Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan may not agree on much when it comes to the Illinois budget. As they negotiate both men apparently find it helpful to accuse the other of pushing for a tax increase. Rauner, Madigan and the legislature’s other top leaders discussed the budget privately Tuesday in Chicago.
Madigan said it will be difficult to pass any tax hike before a new crop of legislators are sworn in next month.
"Gov. Rauner wants to do a lame duck tax increase. So he wants to raise taxes between now and Jan. 11. That proposal is not doing well because both Democrats and Republicans are against it in a lame duck session."
Last week the Illinois House took a symbolic vote that put a majority of state representatives on the record as opposing a tax increase. The governor issued a statement that says Madigan is the only one who has suggested a higher income tax. A current stopgap budget expires at the end of this month, which will leave universities and many social services without state funding.
