Don’t hold your breath, Springfield stoppage could last until 2016
Political incentives to come to an agreement are few and far between.
The Illinois General Assembly is moving into its eighth week without a budget. And Illinoisans are left wondering how much longer lawmakers can keep up the staring contest. But with nothing in Illinois law requiring lawmakers to settle on a budget within a specific period of time – and a lack of political pressure points to spur action – the will to come to a compromise is waning.
In fact, the budget impasse could technically last until January 2016, when a new legislative session begins.
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of the Democrats’ budget proposal on account of its $4 billion revenue gap has both parties doubling down on their own solutions. While House Speaker Mike Madigan insists on using tax increases to cover the gap, Rauner and the Republicans continue to argue for stronger reform efforts. Despite continued budget talks between the governor, Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, Springfield remains at a standstill.
Democrats and Republicans alike lack the pressure necessary to drive them toward making a deal.
In his July 22 press release, Cullerton pointed out that most of the state budget items, with the exception of Medicaid, higher education and human services, are still receiving funding due either to law or court order. On June 24, Rauner signed the appropriation bill that provides funding for K-12 education, removing children from the crosshairs of the budget battle. Comptroller Leslie Munger issued state employee paychecks on July 15, shielding state workers from any financial impact they may have felt.
Members of the General Assembly, too, are exempted from feeling the personal financial impact of the gridlock, as a law passed last year under the direction of Madigan and Cullerton ensures state lawmakers will continue to receive their salaries during the impasse.
Furthermore, on July 23, a federal judge ruled that the state of Illinois must continue to make payments to the Cook County Medicaid program, providing financial relief for health-care providers in the Chicago area.
As pressure points on the budgetary process are removed one by one, the incentives to come to an agreement are quickly disappearing.
Efforts have been made to reintroduce some of this pressure, or at least to make lawmakers feel some personal ramifications of the impasse. State Rep. David McSweeney, R-Cary, filed a bill to remove lawmaker salaries and operating expenses from being continuing appropriations, meaning lawmakers would not get paid until they passed a balanced budget. And the governor attempted to stop lawmakers’ automatic raises through an amendatory veto. Neither effort has been successful.
The reality remains: Unless Illinois politicians begin to feel the heat of the budget stalemate, Springfield may be facing several more months of gridlock.