For the second year in a row, Illinois lawmakers failed to pass a state budget at the end of the springtime legislative session on Tuesday.
The Illinois Senate rejected a 40-billion-dollar budget yesterday that had been pushed through the Illinois House last week, which Republican Governor Bruce Rauner said was about $7-billion out of balance.
The Senate did approve a nearly 16-billion-dollar measure to fund K-through-12 education, but the Associated Press reports the education bill was rejected in the Illinois House late last night.
A budget now requires a three-fifths majority vote to pass.
A frustrated Rauner says the blame on another lack of a state budget rests on the ruling party in the House and Senate as the state heads towards another summer of uncertainty.
“The Democrats in the General Assembly have failed to pass a balanced budget. They have failed to pass reforms to protect our property taxpayers, they have failed to pass reforms to grow our economy, and create more high-paying jobs. Stunning failure, again,” he says.
In a last-ditch effort, Governor Rauner urged lawmakers to pass a stopgap budget on Tuesday, but that didn’t happen, as Democratic leaders said they wanted to further review the idea.
Senate President John Cullerton told reporters last night he’s confident he can get a temporary budget passed in the next week.
In a statement, Jacksonville Republican State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer says, “I am frustrated by the majority party’s unwillingness to compromise on a budget…the time for tough decisions is now, before these decisions become impossible.”
House leaders say the chamber will remain in continuous session until a budget is approved.