Rauner's priority in last-minute budget talks: Property tax freeze

Gov. Bruce Rauner hinted Friday that he will focus on a property tax freeze and changes to the state's worker compensation laws as his top priorities as he tries to negotiate a last-minute budget deal with Democratic lawmakers.

Rauner previously has proposed a sweeping package of policies that have largely been rejected by Democrats in showy test votes in recent weeks.

At a news conference Friday, Rauner said he didn't want to negotiate through the media.

Asked if he agreed with a suggestion that property tax changes were one of his must-haves, Rauner called it the "No. 1 issue in the state."

The first-term Republican governor said he's looking for a deal with lawmakers by Sunday at midnight.

"We will know if they're serious," Rauner said.

If not, Rauner said he won't call lawmakers back to Springfield for potentially costly special sessions. He wants lawmakers to agree to some of his proposals before he'd agree to any tax hikes to fill a $3 billion budget gap in the spending plan Democrats are approving.