Senate Passes Budget, Teeing Up House for Final Approval
Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago), the Senate Democrat chief budget negotiator.
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Some 32 hours after Governor JB Pritzker, House Speaker Chris Welch, and Senate President Don Harmon held a self-congratulatory news conference announcing a deal on a new budget for the state fiscal year beginning July 1, the Senate finally passed a spending plan late last night, teeing up the House for final action early Saturday morning.
Democrats originally intended a Senate vote on the spending plan Wednesday night, but apparent pushback from House Democrats delayed the Senate action to late Thursday.
The new budget spends an estimated $50.6 billion in FY24 (which begins July 1), down slightly from the current fiscal year.
“This is a budget that invests in our shared priorities. We are investing in schools in red districts and in blue districts, we’re investing in hospitals in red districts and in blue districts, and health care workers across the state,” said Senate President Don Harmon. “This is a good process and I’m proud of what we have done so far.
Republicans complained the budget is “not even close” to being balanced, mostly, they allege, through authorizing half-year costs for programs that should require a full year appropriation.
The GOP claimed an expected $200-300 million increase in cost for a new AFSCME contract was left out of the budget.
They also claimed Medicaid rate increases for hospitals are budgeted for half a year instead of the full fiscal year.
The same goes for wage increases for developmentally disabled providers who had asked for a $4 per hour raise. They got $2.50, but those wage increases don’t kick in until January.
GOP senators also claimed an undocumented immigrant health insurance program, which is expected to cost some $1.1 billion next year has only been budgeted for about $550 million, though the Governor’s office is expected to make emergency rules to scale back costs of the program.
They also said the state should be making a pension payment of around $14.4 billion to keep up with the longstanding “pension ramp,” but the budget accounts for a payment of around $10.2 billion.
“Let’s be honest, this budget is not balanced,” said Sen. Win Stoller (R-East Peoria). “The people of Illinois are sick and tired of gimmicks, half-truths, tricks, and spin.”
Senate GOP Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) criticized Democratic priorities.
“This budget isn’t just a spending plan, it’s a list of choices,” Curran said. “The Democratic Majority chose to spend $600 million on free healthcare for non-citizen adults over fully-funding services for developmentally disabled Illinoisans and saving K-12 scholarships for low-income families.”
But Lead Senate Democrat budget negotiator Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago), who called the plan a “responsible, balanced budget,” defended the appropriations and dismissed GOP complaints.
“I looked in my desk drawer, I didn’t see the Republican budget here. I asked members on this side of the aisle, they looked in their desks, they didn’t see the Republican budget there,” Sims said mockingly of the 19-vote GOP caucus. “You don’t like the budget here, you don’t like the budget there, you don’t like the budget near, you don’t like the budget far. You won’t vote today, you won’t vote tomorrow, you’re not gonna vote [yes] anyway.”
The bill is due for likely passage in the House, though, due to procedural rules, can’t be voted on until at least after midnight Saturday morning. There has been pushback among progressives in the House, but it isn’t expected to put passage at risk.
Don’t expect much support from the GOP either, as House GOP Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) has already issued a statement in opposition:
“I have repeatedly said it, but will say it once more: Republicans and Democrats have shared priorities and past promises that need to be kept,” McCombie said Wednesday. “We learned from Governor Pritzker and Democratic leaders that our shared priorities are not included. I am incredibly disappointed for Illinois families.”
Three Senate Democrats voted against the budget plan, Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs), Sen. Patrick Joyce (D-Essex), and Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield), who represent competitive districts and would be likely political targets of a legislative pay increase included in the budget.
Governor JB Pritzker praised passage of the spending plan.
“From the beginning, I vowed to work with the General Assembly to bring fiscal sanity to Illinois while restoring a compassionate state government that invests in the things that build a stronger economy and future. I’m pleased to say that’s exactly what this balanced budget does, for the fifth time in a row,” said Pritzker. “From violence prevention, higher education and K-12 funding, and filling teacher vacancies, to more workforce development, and enhanced behavioral health services, this budget makes historic investments that will benefit our state for years to come.”
