Governor Bruce Rauner says he can live with a tax increase in order to get a new state budget. But the governor also used a speech from Springfield last night to say he will sign the budget only if lawmakers agree to a four-year property tax freeze. The governor's comments come as lawmakers return to the statehouse today for what could be a ten-day special session.
Lawmakers return to Springfield today to work on a budget deal, but the head of the Senate says half the work's already done. Governor Rauner called the session to consider a compromise spending plan by minority Republicans. But Senate President John Cullerton says Rauner should start the session by taking up the budget already passed by Democrats in the Senate with bipartisan input.
He said that budget is the one Rauner introduced with the spending levels and tax rates he specified. Lawmakers face an end of the month deadline to avoid beginning a third year with no budget.
