Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Illinois Senate
President Don Harmon and Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch
announced agreement on a budget they said was balanced “without
gimmicks.” Six hours later, Democrats filed the legislation, which must
still pass both chambers before the governor can sign it.
Democrats finally filed a state budget bill Wednesday night — five
days after blowing a self-imposed deadline and nearly six hours after
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and party leaders held a celebratory news conference
to declare they had reached agreement on a “good” and “balanced” budget.
But
even after the afternoon victory lap, a bit of nervousness hung in the
air, at least for onlookers, as the actual piece of legislation — all
3,409 pages of it — slowly surfaced.
And by Wednesday night, the
Illinois Senate adjourned without taking it up, as Illinois Senate
President Don Harmon acknowledged there was a “mechanical impossibility”
for them to pass the legislation in time for the House to read it into
the record on Wednesday, a step that must come before that chamber can
vote on it.
Last week, Democratic leaders failed to meet their Friday deadline to
pass an Illinois budget — so on Wednesday further delays seemed
inevitable. Lawmakers had to file the measure by Wednesday night in
order to give it time to clear both chambers by Friday, their new
self-imposed target date. But the measure is still under review — and
changes are possible, which now stretches budget voting into the weekend
and perhaps beyond.
“The Senate filed a budget so that
everyone involved could review it to make sure that it reflects the
agreement,” John Patterson, spokesman for Harmon said.
The daytime back patting came easier than the actual nighttime bill filing.
“This
is not just a balanced budget, it’s a good budget,” Pritzker told
reporters on Wednesday afternoon alongside Harmon, D-Oak Park, and
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside,
Welch’s office on Wednesday night said they were confident they
had the votes and planned to further discuss the measures during a
House Democratic caucus.
But some lingering issues appeared still
at play, suggesting possible tinkering or other efforts to lock up
votes. Those include health care funding for undocumented persons, a
program to help fund private school scholarships, evidence-based school
funding and money for district projects, according to a source with
direct knowledge of the negotiations.
Pritzker’s office on
Wednesday afternoon released a fact sheet with highlights of the overall
budget, but not the total spending amount. The governor said the budget
is “mid-50-plus billion dollars” — which he described as “just a little
bit more than the introduced budget.” Pritzker’s proposed budget plan
from February totaled $49.6 billion in spending.
The spending plan is estimated to be $50.5 billion, according to a source close to negotiations.
“This budget is balanced — without gimmicks,” Welch said at the news conference. “This budget will help save for our future.”
Health
care for undocumented immigrants was among the sticking points during
budget negotiations last week. Democrats were wary of setting a number —
and of taking the political responsibility for the budgetary ask. The
cost to the state for health care coverage for undocumented people could
cost more than $1 billion. But there has been contention over whether
that figure is inflated.
Pritzker said the House and Senate have agreed to give the governor’s
office the “tools” to manage the program so that it doesn’t reach an
unsustainable proportion.
“We’re continuing the program going
forward, but in a budget friendly way so that everybody gets the health
care that they need,” Pritzker said.
According to the fact sheet provided by the governor’s office,
the budget framework includes a $200 million additional pension payment,
bringing total pension stabilization investments to $700 million.
It
also includes adding $250 million to fund the first year of the
governor’s early childhood plan to eliminate preschool deserts and help
stabilize the childcare workforce. It also includes $50 million for
early childhood capital improvements — and $350 million for the state’s
evidence based funding formula for K-12 schools.
It does not
include funding for Invest in Kids, a tax credit program for private
school scholarships, that is largely supported by Republicans. The
governor acknowledged, “this is something that still has time,
potentially, but it’s not something that’s in the budget agreement.”
For
higher education, the proposal includes $100 million in additional MAP
grant funding and a $100 million increase for public universities.
For economic development, $400 million would go towards closing
major economic development deals and attracting businesses and jobs to
the state.
It also includes continued funding for the $250 million
Reimagine Public Safety Act to prevent gun violence and expand funding
for youth employment programs — and an $18 million increase to support
reproductive health initiatives, according to the governor’s office.
Democratic
leaders said they wanted a more seamless budget plan this year — one in
which the Senate would not introduce the measure until it is fully
agreed upon with the House. Typically there are amendments — and
disagreements — during the process as legislative caucuses try to ensure
the framework includes their needs.
The budget filed on
Wednesday must still pass both chambers, but Welch and Harmon said they
expected it to do so, and Pritzker vowed to sign it.
Last week’s Friday deadline was artificial, not required by any
state law or legislative rules. But stretching the process much beyond
that would show that Democrats, even with a supermajority in both
chambers, couldn’t get their act together. On May 31, bills effective
immediately require a three-fifths majority. The new fiscal year begins
on July 1.
Wednesday afternoon, Harmon dismissed any speculation
about dissension among the Democrats, telling reporters, “The trust
among the three of us is at an all-time high, and I’m looking forward to
finalizing this budget without any deviation from that.”
Another issue Democrats considered in budget talks was a potential
drop in sales and income tax revenues, post-pandemic. But Pritzker’s
administration has said their budget plan, revealed in February, took
that into account.
Pritzker’s proposed spending plan included a major boost to education funding in the state —
including a $250 million investment in early education and a $506
million increase in K-12 funding. Education, human services, pensions
and health care would receive a large majority of the $49.6 billion
spending proposal — as the state projected a general revenue forecast of
$49.94 billion, a 2.8% decrease from revised estimates.
For their part, House Republicans have said they had little say
in negotiating this year’s budget. But Senate Republicans said their
caucus leader and the designated “budgeteers” have been meeting
throughout the budget process.
House Republicans largely wanted no new spending, and reductions in the estate tax, among other priorities.
With
the budget bills filed on Wednesday, lawmakers have set in motion a
plan that could see a spending blueprint passed by Friday — barring any
major blowups.
The Illinois Republican Party, which is in a major
rebuild mode after glaring electoral losses last year, was among the
first to criticize the budget deal, calling it a “partisan wishlist, not
a negotiation.” They also took time to ping Pritzker for his political
ambitions.
“With complete control of government, Illinois
Democrats continue to tax and spend, with Illinois ranking at the top of
every metric of tax burden on residents and driving away families year
over year,” party chairman Don Tracy said in a statement. “It’s time for
Governor Pritzker to govern responsibly and stop dreaming about the
White House.”