Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
The "Crisis of Confidence" series is a multi-year effort by the Tri States Public Radio to document the impact the two-year state budget impasse had on Western Illinois University and the ongoing recovery efforts at WIU. State support for public higher education institutions has been steadily declining in Illinois for more than a decade. But the issue was compounded, during the state's historic two-year budget impasse during Fiscal Years '16 and '17 which left public colleges and universities with little state financial support. At Western Illinois University, that drastic cut in state appropriations resulted in significant budget cuts, employee furloughs, and layoffs.

With Budget Through Legislature, Gov. Rauner Promises Swift Action

House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Willow Grove, urged his colleagues to continue the bipartisanship that yielded Illinois' first agreed budget in years.
Brian Mackey
/
NPR Illinois
House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Willow Grove, urged his colleagues to continue the bipartisanship that yielded Illinois' first agreed budget in years.

The Illinois General Assembly has approved a budget for the state — and Governor Bruce Rauner is indicating he’ll “enact” it into law.

Brian Mackey talks about what's in the budget, what's not in the budget, and how the deal came to be.

In any other state, passing a budget is routine. But in Illinois, it’s become something remarkable.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for quite some time,” House Republican Leader Jim Durkin told his colleagues. “I never expected it, particularly in this environment that we’ve been in over the last three years."

He was talking about the negotiations between Democrats and Republicans that led to a budget deal.

The final spending plan doesn’t raise taxes, which was one of Rauner’s requirements.

But it also doesn’t cut taxes, which has been a key talking point of Rauner’s reelection campaign.

Nevertheless, Rauner issued a statement promising “swift action to enact” the budget. Presumably that would give Illinois a full budget when the new fiscal year beings in July — the first time that’s happened in half a decade.

As for Durkin, he says he thinks the success of the budget negotiations can serve as a model for every problem brought before the General Assembly.

“Folks, our constituents are starving for that type of attitude and cooperation,” Durkin says. “Don’t lose it after today.”

Copyright 2018 NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS

Brian Mackey covers Illinois state government and politics from the WUIS Statehouse bureau. He was previously A&E editor at The State Journal-Register and Statehouse bureau chief for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. He can be reached at (217) 206-6020.
Brian Mackey
Brian Mackey formerly reported on state government and politics for NPR Illinois and a dozen other public radio stations across the state. Before that, he was A&E editor at The State Journal-Register and Statehouse bureau chief for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.