Suburban lawmakers play key roles in budget talks
SPRINGFIELD — May is crunchtime in Springfield.
With a May 31 deadline to pass a state budget amid billions in red ink, lawmakers will be under intense pressure to come up with a solution.
And some suburban lawmakers could be front and center this year, serving on committees drafting spending proposals, with the potential for deep cuts to services.
So far, Democrats and Republicans have shown a willingness to cooperate. But only time will tell whether that will continue.
Here’s a look at what’s happening on the budget so far, from the vantage point of some suburban leaders of budget committees.
Sen. Dan Kotowski, Park Ridge DemocratKotowski was appointed to head a budget committee after last summer#146;s passage of legislation he sponsored that reforms the way the state is supposed to lay out its budget.
The state must cut at least $1.7 billion to bring spending on line with revenue, Kotowski says, adding that every area is being #147;carefully scrutinized.#148;
He said some proposals may try to push the governor#146;s office to reduce administrative and contract costs. #147;It#146;s where the biggest amount of compression is at,#148; Kotowski said.
Cuts to education funding and even closure of some facilities are on the table, too, as well as a 5 percent reduction of the General Assembly#146;s own budget and lawmakers#146; salaries.
#147;No one#146;s going to be spared,#148; he said.
Rep. Fred Crespo, Hoffman Estates DemocratCrespo, chair of the House#146;s general services budget committee, says that in determining who gets how much money next year, he#146;s taking a close look at audits of various state agencies.
He says these regular audits are the best measure of performance and efficiency.
So if an agency fares poorly for several years, their budget might reflect that, Crespo said.
He said his committee is working on a budget proposal that#146;s more realistic than Gov. Pat Quinn#146;s.
Quinn#146;s, Crespo says, is based on too many assumptions that might not come true.
#147;I can#146;t cut Monopoly money,#148; Crespo said.
Sen. Matt Murphy, Palatine RepublicanMurphy is the top Republican on one of the Senate#146;s two budget committees.
He said that the openness that Democrats have shown with budget plans so far might be more out of necessity than goodwill.
Because it#146;s likely not all Democrats will go along with proposed cuts, Murphy said, Republican support could be key.
#147;In some areas, they#146;re going to need our help making the cuts that are necessary,#148; he said.
Rep. Rosemary Mulligan, Des Plaines RepublicanMulligan, who has missed a lot of the recent legislative session due to breathing problems, put her opinions about the difficulty of cutting spending in stark terms.
#147;I think this is going to be the worst budget year we#146;ve ever had,#148; said Mulligan, a member of the House#146;s budget committee on human services.
#147;There#146;s no good way to do it.#148;
Cutting state spending on services for the elderly, poor and disabled is likely to come under fire, she said. Mulligan called it a sad reality of cutting spending.
#147;Somebody#146;s going to get hurt,#148; she said.
Sen. Pam Althoff, McHenry RepublicanThe top Republican on the Senate#146;s other budget committee said she#146;s appreciated having a hand in the process, unlike recent previous years of Democratic control.
#147;We certainly have a lot more access and opportunity to express and share our suggestions,#148; Althoff said.
But, she said, the GOP will have to wait and see if Democrats follow their suggestions in the end.
Althoff, Murphy, Kotowski and others discuss proposals during regular budget meetings #8212; meetings that have continued during the Senate#146;s two-week break from Springfield.
Rep. Sandy Cole, Grayslake RepublicanCole says the state agencies her committee is examining have been accessible and Republicans have had far more input into the budget process than they have in past years.
Trusting that majority Democrats will eventually take their suggestions serious remains a #147;leap of faith,#148; she said.
Cole said it#146;s particularly difficult to determine budget plans for agencies like the Department of Natural Resources, whose budget already has been cut deeply in the past several years.
#147;This is a unique year,#148; she said. #147;So we#146;re hoping it all comes together.#148;
Ÿ Daily Herald Politics and Projects Writer Kerry Lester contributed to this report.