As Illinois’ credit rating nears junk status, governor praises his ‘heroic’ administration

Illinois’ governor asserted Wednesday that his administration has been “heroic” in keeping state government afloat as he presides over a historic, yearlong budget impasse that has deprived state residents of key social services, halted construction projects and driven the state’s credit rating close to junk status.

“I have to say, I give our team and our administration tremendous credit for being able to run the government for 18 months with massive deficits and no budget,” Gov. Bruce Rauner said. “It’s an extraordinary performance by the leaders in our team. We’re doing heroic things.”

The Republican governor’s remarks came at a Capitol news conference in which he reiterated pleas for state lawmakers to return to Springfield and approve his short-term solutions to the budget stalemate. Rauner first floated the idea during the final hours of the spring session last month and has spent the weeks since blasting Democrats for failing to act on it.

See more of our top stories on Facebook »

Lawmakers, meanwhile, are huddled in private working group meetings intended to negotiate a way out of the budget mess. The impasse centers on Rauner’s demand for cost-cutting changes for business that Democrats say would hurt workers’ collective bargaining rights.

Rauner says he wants his budget proposals passed as is. The governor’s two-part solution includes short-term funding for government operations and social services, as well as an education spending measure that would ensure no school district receives less state aid than it was granted last year.

Ruling Democrats in the General Assembly have other ideas. They want to funnel extra money to Chicago’s public schools to help the district start to dig out of its financial hole, an idea Rauner repeatedly has dismissed as a “bailout.”

On Wednesday, Rauner said he wants lawmakers to return to the Capitol and vote on his two bills, and he warned them not to “fatten” the bills up with extra spending.

NEWSLETTER: Get the day’s top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj »

“We’re calling on the General Assembly: Come back here to Springfield, vote on these two bills; let’s get them passed,” Rauner said. “And don’t play games with them, don’t delay, don’t come up with excuses why action can’t be taken.”

The governor continues driving his message on the budget impasse day after day, but it’s likely that any stopgap budget that emerges will be the result of negotiation and compromise with Democrats as pressure builds to ensure schools reopen in August.

ALSO

3 more women sue Baylor over reaction to rape allegations

Body of 2-year-old boy found after Disney World gator attack, sheriff says

Once a vanguard of the right, Sharron Angle barely stood a chance in Nevada primary