By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – Time is running out for Illinois to pass a budget before the current fiscal year expires, but State Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) has suggested Illinois Democrats have their eye on another clock.
PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Brady on WJBC.
“They are positioned to wait out this whole four-year cycle of (Gov. Bruce Rauner’s) governorship if they can,” Brady said.
Brady told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin Democrats are refusing to work with Rauner in hopes they essentially shut down government and point the blame at the governor.
“There’s no question that’s what they are trying to do and that’s not being responsible to the responsibilities they were elected for,” Brady said. “That’s a real problem.”
Illinois is now in its 10th month without a budget. Illinois House lawmakers have various committee hearings on Monday, but nothing related to the budget.
Brady said it’s time Illinois start working on a two-year budget, but not the current budget year that’s gone nearly nine months without a spending plan. He said the best path forward would be to work on a budget for 2017 and 2018 if lawmakers can get together at all.
“We are in a bad position, the Chicago Democrats and (House Speaker) Mike Madigan haven’t even been in Springfield for four or five weeks,” Brady noted.
Brady added he and other Republican lawmakers are tying to convince rank-and-file Democrats to quote “stop standing in the way of progress.”
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
