Quinn: Ill. lawmakers 'pretty close' on budget

Gov. Pat Quinn said Saturday that lawmakers are "pretty close" to passing a new state budget but offered no explanation for his optimism or even why he now backs a budget that rejects his top legislative priority: a tax increase.

Although Democratic leaders had hoped to pass a new budget by Friday, they could not agree on how to address a $13 billion budget deficit. Lawmakers ignored Quinn's call to raise income taxes, rejected a plan to borrow billions and couldn't agree on major spending cuts.

Legislative leaders sent lawmakers home and promised to call them back into session when they figure out how to proceed.

"We're pretty close," Quinn said. "I think it's healthy to have a robust debate and discussion this month on the budget, and ultimately they'll be a vote, certainly before the end of the month."

The end of May marks the first key date for the budget. After May 31, passing a budget would require a super-majority, meaning the Democratic majority would need some Republican votes to take action. The most important date is June 30, when the current budget expires.

The Senate approved a version of the budget Friday that depends largely on delaying billions of dollars in payments the state is supposed to make in the coming year. Money for troubled government pension systems would be delayed, as would money for the businesses and community groups that provide services on behalf of the state. And funds set aside for specific purposes would be diverted to pay routine government costs.

But House Democrats refused to go along, even after huddling for hours with Quinn.

The Democratic governor and his staff have criticized the idea of delaying the state's $3.7 billion payment to pension systems. And Quinn has repeatedly stressed the importance of a sound budget that pays the state's bills and fully funds education.

"The key for success this month is to have a budget that invests properly in education," he said. "The Legislature won't be able to adjourn until we get that goal accomplished."

But Quinn seems to have embraced the Senate's makeshift budget as the only viable option. He said nothing Saturday about using the Legislature's time-out to renew his efforts to pass a tax increase.

Republicans -- who have largely been shut out of the budget process and refuse to support any Democratic proposals -- argue that Democrats are set on overspending while refusing to make the necessary cuts.