Hoping to bring pressure on the General Assembly to solve the budget crisis, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has started a two-day tour across the state.
Speaking to an audience of local republican leaders and company employees at the Performance Food Group in Rock Island, Rauner says he's a fighting a long-term battle.
"This isn't about todays budget, this isn't about yesterday's budget, this isn't about, you know, some little deal. This is about whether we are going to be on the track of prosperity with outstanding economic opportunity for everybody and a great education system for everybody so our children have a better future in Illinois. That's what this is about."
Along with repeating the well-known keypoints of his turnaround agenda, including term limits and fair election maps, Rauner says he's made state government more efficient, cut spending, and tried to work with the General Assembly.
He thinks the solution to the state's financial problems is simple: boost the economy.
"We have the hardest working people in America, we have the best location of any state in America, we have the best transportation network of any state in America, we have the best agriculture of any state in America. We should be kicking tails."
The governor says he's traveled the country trying to recruit companies to come to Illinois, but they say the state isn't business-friendly.
Rauner began his two day kick off tour in suburban Chicago followed by stops in Rockford, Peoria, Springfield tonight. Tomorrow he'll travel to Quincy, East Alton, Marion, Robinson, and Champaign.
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