Legislators head back to Springfield

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DeKALB – Local legislators say they’re going back to Springfield this week – again – with a lot of frustration and few firm ideas about where budget negotiations will lead.

State Rep. Robert Pritchard, R-Hinckley, and state Sen. Brad Burzynski, R-Rochelle, both say they’re worried about funding for local social-service agencies that provide aid in wide-ranging areas, including child care, transportation and help for the developmentally disabled and the elderly.

Gov. Pat Quinn last week backed off threats to slash social-services funding by 50 percent, but it’s unclear how the state would continue to pay for them if the legislature does not approve new spending.

Republicans generally support a temporary budget so that negotiations can continue. But Pritchard and Burzynski said they left Springfield last week unsure of how willing Quinn and the Democratic leadership are to compromise on their budget proposals.

Legislators left Springfield last Wednesday after a short and, by all accounts, unproductive session. The House reconvenes today, and the Senate is scheduled to return to session on Tuesday. But both legislators said it’s doubtful a budget agreement will be reached by the midnight Tuesday deadline.

Pritchard and Burzynski both support passage of a temporary budget  – a short-term budget at of 2008 or even proposed 2009 levels – to allow government to function while legislators reach an agreement on a budget for the entire year.

A short-term budget could restore funding, at least for a few months, to the social-service agencies around the state that are in crisis mode, facing program cuts, layoffs and, in some cases, complete closure.

Burzynski said legislators aren’t even clear on the actual amount of the state’s debt. And, he said, legislators cannot base a budget on an unknown deficit.

“What is our true debt? There are two or three numbers,” Burzynski said in an interview late last week.

Pritchard said it is unlikely legislators will agree on a full-year budget by the Tuesday deadline.

“If you look at the last five years, we’ve never had a budget by July 1. In one year, we went all the way to January,” Pritchard said.

Pritchard said party caucuses met with Quinn last week, sharing ideas and pleading with him to compromise on his budget proposal.

“He was non-committal,” Pritchard said. “He said, ‘That sounds like a good idea. We’ll study it.’”

And both Pritchard and Burzynski expressed frustration that House Speaker Michael Madigan seems to be an obstacle in the process.

“He won’t call bills, and the governor is non-committal. We’re frustrated,” Pritchard said. “It looks like the governor is willing to shut down critical human services. We’re concerned about the developmentally disable. We’re concerned about the mentally ill.

“These are things that are critical. It’s a crisis, and that’s what we were trying to impress on the governor. He just wants to start the tax increase. But even with that, we’re $1 billion short of what he wants to spend.”

Burzynski said he thinks Quinn underestimated Madigan’s influence.

“He really felt that he could get what he wanted. I think he underestimated the power of Speaker Madigan. Right now, I do not understand his work on the issues. That is beyond me. Because I don’t believe he’s doing himself or his caucus any good.”

• The Associated Press contributed to this report.