Rauner 'out west,' Madigan's whereabouts unknown as budget fight continues
A temporary budget to keep money flowing to universities and providers who care for the state’s vulnerable is set to expire in one week, and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic legislative leaders still have no plans to resume their talks.
Rauner isn’t in Illinois, but “traveling out west with his family” spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said. He “remains ready to return at a moment’s notice if Democrats are prepared to present their balanced budget proposal,” she said.
The governor had called for daily meetings to reach an agreement, but canceled the last planned gathering earlier this month. He said it was time for Democrats to put forth their own spending plan, despite rejecting several of those proposals in the past.
The move underscores the politics at play. Both sides have said budget cuts and a tax hike are needed to begin to fix the state’s financial mess, but neither side has said how deep the cuts must go or how high taxes should be raised.
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