Rauner's office: Democrat college funding bill disingenuous

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The governor's office says a new attempt by Illinois Democrats to fund colleges and tuition grants for low-income students is disingenuous because there's no money for it.

Gov. Bruce Rauner's budget office said in a letter to lawmakers Thursday that what they're calling a compromise would plunge the state further into debt and is a "giant step backward."

House Democrats are considering two bills Thursday to allocate money for tuition grants and colleges, which haven't received funding since July 1 when the current-year budget should've taken effect. Part of the proposal would be funded by forgiving repayment of state funds that were borrowed last year from other special funds.

The proposals come a day after Democrats failed to override Rauner's veto of a $721 million measure for colleges and tuition grants.