A Chicago tax policy and research group is urging Illinois lawmakers to pass a full budget instead of "piecemeal" solutions in the final weeks of the legislative session. The Civic Federation says in order to close an estimated $4.6 billion deficit, Illinois needs spending restraints, increased revenues, and borrowing for unpaid bills.
May's end marks a budget deadline. However, there's been a two-year stalemate between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democratic-controlled Legislature. A stop-gap budget expired in January.
Federation President Laurence Msall calls the impasse a spectacular failure. The federation rejects Rauner's proposed budget, saying it would increase the unpaid bill backlog from $12 billion to $19.7 billion and relies on uncertain savings, one-time revenues, and a tenuous Senate compromise.
Rauner's spokeswoman blames decades of fiscal mismanagement for the crisis and calls for structural reforms.
