As I write this column, we are rapidly approaching the start of a new fiscal year; our second without a state budget in place. As you read it, however, another “budgetless” year may have already begun. In the final weeks with the clock ticking down, Speaker Madigan continued to cancel days the House was scheduled to be in session working, claiming we had nothing specific to work on.
Really, Mr. Speaker? Nothing? Here’s what we should have been in session considering: legislation offered by House Republicans to ensure needed state government programs and services don’t shut down this summer; and that our schools have the funding they need to open on time in the fall.
House Bill 6585 is awaiting consideration in the House. It could be brought to the floor any time the Speaker would allow. This budget bill covers both FY 2016 “stopgap” expenditures and some urgently-needed FY 2017 expenditure areas. It would appropriate badly-needed money to a wide variety of essential and job-creating state agencies and educational institutions, including state universities and prisons. The appropriations contained in this bill are fully paid for from existing revenues.
Also awaiting consideration in the House is House Bill 6583, a separate school funding bill that would fully fund K-12 education in Illinois for FY 2017. In the absence of a complete budget it is critical that we at least keep our children above the fray and ensure their schools have the funding they need. Last year Democrats agreed and helped us pass a stand-alone school funding bill. This year, though, many on the other side of the aisle are demanding a massive Chicago Public Schools bailout and are willing to hold hostage the rest of our schools to get it.
But the House has nothing to work on, Mr. Speaker?
As I write this, budget working groups composed of rank-and-file House members from both parties are continuing to meet to try to hammer out a compromise budget agreement. I desperately hope that by the time you read it our working groups will have succeeded and we will have a responsible compromise budget in place, making most of what I have written here moot. If not, the Speaker will have a lot to answer for.
Editor’s Note / Every month contributing columnists submit their stories by the 20th of the month prior to print.
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