By GREG BISHOP
Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (IRN) — Illinois legislators continue to discuss the annual spending plan behind closed doors, but some say there could be more work to do over the summer.
The legislature is scheduled to adjourn spring session Saturday. That’s the deadline to pass the annual taxpayer funded spending bill with a simple majority. In the minority party, state Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Dieterich, doesn’t expect to see a budget until last minute.
“It looks like a tax increase for the folks in my district, and we have very little say so in what happens here in Springfield on that issue will,” Niemerg told The Center Square Tuesday.
State Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, said the work continues on crafting what he said is a compassionate budget, but legislators should be ready for anything, including coming back this summer to deal with how federal spending could impact Illinois.
“We just have to be ready at all times is what we’re being told by Speaker [Emanuel “Chris”] Welch,” Ford told The Center Square after a Democratic caucus Tuesday. “You know, make no plans, but to come back if he needs us.”
The budget could be about $55 billion, a record high. Republicans are raising alarm to what they said could be a more than $2 billion tax increase if the state was to institute a tax on services.
Niemerg said his caucus, and their constituents, are being kept in the dark about the tax and spend plan.
“We’re hearing rumors about what they’re doing, a sales tax increase, a service tax increase. But the truth of the matter is, is that we’re broke in the state of Illinois,” Neimerg said. “The Democrats have a spending problem, they have a revenue problem.”
Asked about the possibility of tax increases, Ford reiterated the majority party is focused on a compassionate budget.
“As Democrats, you know, we want to support human services and protect, you know, the seniors and the children and all the human services.”
The House and Senate return to session Wednesday and are scheduled to adjourn Saturday, May 31, the deadline to pass a budget with simple majorities.
