State Senator Says Republicans Reintroduce Budget Plan They Think Was Close To Passage
Republicans say they are offering a budget proposal they believe could end Illinois' lengthy standoff over finances. Crimson Hexagon
Illinois Republicans have presented what they're calling a ”compromise'' budget and reform plan they hope will end the state's long budget impasse.
The plan includes a four-year property tax freeze, term limits and pension reform.
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin said that with those changes, Republicans will agree to a four-year income tax increase.
Republican State Sen. Jason Barickman of Bloomington-Normal says the goal is to address a lack of trust between the two parties.
“It gives Democrats who may lack some of that trust an opportunity to say, ‘There’s their bill, that’s what they said they’re for.’ Hopefully we can begin to earn their support toward some of those measures,” Barickman said.
According to Barickman, Democrats have privately agreed to many of the proposals and the rest could be worked out publicly.
But Democrats who control the Legislature have said they've already considered, and passed, several of the reforms.
Illinois Republicans say they and state Democratic lawmakers were all but finished with a budget agreement before a lack of trust scuttled the deal as the General Assembly adjourned last month.
That is part of their thinking in reviving their earlier offer.
“These are compromises that we’re putting forward designed to attract Democrat votes, and where they have privately said they would be willing to go in legislation,” Barickman said.