No Budget Agreement In Sight As Lawmakers Gear Up For The New Legislative Session - Progress Illinois

As the stalemate continues into its seventh month, Rauner is scheduled to deliver his budget address for the 2017 fiscal year on February 17. Christopher Mooney, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois, said he would be surprised if the stalemate ended before Rauner's 2017 budget address. Democrats and Republicans "should be able to differ on collective bargaining and it not be a tenet of whether or not we pass a budget," Davis said. "It's an issue, but it shouldn't be the linchpin to the state completely falling apart." "Republicans," he added, "have to be willing to stand up and say, 'OK, governor, I get it. You're trying to get something done, but we need funding for the state universities.' ... Unless that's a bipartisan conversation, then you're ultimately not going to get anywhere." Mooney said a high-profile crisis of some sort, such as a state college or university shutting down, could force an end to the budget stalemate. That being said, neither Rauner nor the legislative leaders appear to know how or when the impasse will end, Mooney stressed. http://www.progressillinois.com/posts/content/2016/01/11/no-budget-agreement-sight-lawmakers-gear-new-legislative-session