Conservative Republicans Push Rauner To Endorse ‘No Tax Hike’ Budget

An Illinois Republican with a no-tax-hike budget plan is pushing Governor Bruce Rauner to get on board. State Senator Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) is one of the few legislators of either party who says Illinois can solve its budget problems without raising taxes.

The Republican’s proposal includes a 10 percent reduction across state government — the sort of deep cut that would dramatically alter the services Illinois provides to its citizens.

McCarter has nothing to lose — he’s pledged to term limit himself out of the general assembly and is not seeking re-election. But he acknowledges that this sort of spending plan is difficult for many politicians to get behind. That’s why he says Gov. Rauner should lead the way by identifying specific cuts.

"This governor will have to accept part of that responsibility," McCarter said. "That’s only fair. We have to be in this thing together."

At a recent Senate hearing, McCarter urged top Rauner aides to have the governor say whether he’ll support the plan.

“You’ve got to give us some guidance to where we know we’re going on the floor, and going to have a vote on bills," McCarter said, "that people are not going to be so fearful of retribution, politically."

The Rauner administration credited McCarter for “putting forward a menu," but was noncommittal on the details.

Rauner chief of staff Rich Goldberg told McCarter, “We may agree with some, and not others."