State Senator Steve McClure is unhappy with the state’s budgeting process.
McClure says there is a lack of transparency when state Democrats bring a 3,200 plus-page budget to the floor for a vote with just a few hours left in the session: “We voted on things that went straight to the floor. We didn’t debate them in committee. We didn’t have much time to review [the budget] at all. It passed at 3:30AM on Saturday. I think [this process] is something that people are tired of. People are sick and tired of us voting on bills that nobody’s read after midnight. It’s just typical. It’s what happens here every year, unfortunately.”
Both chambers wrapped up legislative session in overtime, a little after 6AM on Saturday to pass the budget. The Spring session comes to an end nearly a month earlier than normal due to the June primary.
Illinois’ government has budgeted $46 billion for the next fiscal year, set to begin on July 1st. McClure says that he doesn’t believe anyone has read the full budget in the time it took pass.
Reactions to passage of the budget were mostly along party lines on Saturday.