Area Legislators Weigh-in on Budget Impasse

Norine Hammondllinois Democrats and Republicans were unable to come together to pass a budget before the new fiscal year began today. According to the Governor’s Office, $4 Billion is keeping the two sides apart, and Bruce Rauner has maintained his stance that signing a temporary budget would be “unconstitutional.”

Local Legislators gave their thought’s on today’s deadline, that has now come and gone. Republican State Representative Norine Hammond tells WGIL, that politics aside, no budget in place is frustrating.

“We are talking about real people’s lives here,” says Hammond. “We’re talking about seniors that need home healthcare. We’re talking about childcare. We’re talking about people with developmental disabilities. It’s really time to put all the rhetoric aside and just sit down and figure it out. All of my members are varying to work towards a solution and, quite frankly, I think both sides of the aisle are trying to advocate for some kind of a resolution here.”

Hammond says it unfortunately seems that “the folks in charge, just don’t seem quite ready to come to the table yet.”

Don MoffittRepublican State Representative Don Moffitt says that he hopes both sides can come together, but he believes Governor Rauner is doing the best he can.

“I hope we find a point where we have a budget that is bi-partisan, that we can see both sides putting some votes on and that we let those use the government and any agency that receives state funds know how much they will be getting and when they will be getting it,” says Moffitt. “It makes a lot of people ill at ease, anyone that’s depending on a check from the state, you know, it has caused some concern, rightfully so. The Governor has indicated that he wants state employees to continue to show up for work and he’s certainly going to do everything he can to see that they get paid.”

Moffitt added that he believes legislators could remain in Springfield through July. Senate Democrats passed a temporary one-month budget this afternoon. A complete passage remains in the Governor’s hands. He has said he would veto such a measure, citing “unconstitutionality.”

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