By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Illinois’ key budget deadline is barely a week away and one of the state’s budget negotiators says he believes lawmakers can break a three-year trend and get a budget done on time.

“I’m very encouraged by where we are at right now,” State Rep. Dan Brady declared. “We’ve got communication going between all the rank-and-file, that’s the budgeteers.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Brady on WJBC.

“We are very close on a number on the revenue side of things.”

The Bloomington Republican told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin discussions continue about where to cut to get a spending plan “reasonably balanced.” He said that would include selling the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago.

Brady says the legislative leaders weren’t even talking to each other this close to the deadline recent years.

“The leaders are still meeting, you’ve got to remember a couple of years ago the leaders weren’t even communicating.”

Gov. Bruce Rauner has said the budget must be a full-year, balanced budget and not include a tax increase. If there’s no budget by the end of May, lawmakers would need a supermajority to pass a spending plan.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].