(KTRS) Several Illinois lawmakers are calling for more funding to ensure students have safe streets to walk to school. Howevever, the issue comes during the state’s drawn-out budget fight. The proposal seeks $5 million for the program, a combination of state and federal aid. But since Illinois has been operating without a budget since July,…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Gov. Bruce Rauner’s attempt to spur lawmakers into action has left no clear way forward in the state’s seemingly never-ending budget saga. Illinois remains far from passing a budget for this year and months of legislative hand-wringing has done nothing to change the predicament. This is a time when lawmakers should…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Gov. Bruce Rauner has vetoed a proposal to fund community colleges and a grant program that helps students pay for college. Illinois Democrats approved a plan in January to provide $324 million to community colleges and $397 million to the Monetary Award Program. Rauner said Friday the plan would “explode the…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Senate President John Cullerton says Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “sketch” of a budget proposal Wednesday is more than $3 billion short of necessary revenue. The Chicago Democrat says that doesn’t count the deficit the state is building in the current year because lawmakers and the Republican governor never approved a budget last…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Efforts to overhaul Illinois’ school funding formula again face long odds in the spring legislative session, despite calls to address the matter urgently. Many lawmakers say it will be tough to get support to fix the formula because current proposals call for some districts to lose money. They also point out…
( KTRS ) Illinois Democratic Senate President John Cullerton says he’s delaying a funding bill for colleges in the hopes that Gov. Bruce Rauner will reconsider his threat to veto it. Democrats last week approved a $721.5 million to be split between community colleges and tuition grants for low-income students who qualify for the Monetary…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Illinois Democrats have approved $721.5 million for tuition grants and community colleges, but Republicans call it an empty promise because the state still doesn’t have a budget. The funding measure sent to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner Thursday allocates $324.4 million to community colleges for operating costs and $397.1 million to the…
CHICAGO (AP) – The top Republican in the Illinois Senate says “it’s possible” the standoff over a state budget could last for several years if Democrats aren’t willing to compromise. Sen. Christine Radogno spoke Monday before the City Club of Chicago. She says if Illinois continues to spend money at current levels without raising taxes the…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Cash-strapped Illinois has at least $4 billion in the bank. The money is sits in special funds in the state budget created for specific purposes. But an Associated Press analysis shows it’s in 531 accounts that could be ripe for picking as a fix to the budget mess. No one has…
( KTRS ) The Illinois budget impasse, now in its sixth month will be at the center of discussions during another meeting between legislative leaders and Gov. Bruce Rauner. The meeting scheduled for this afternoon will be the third in as many weeks between Gov. Rauner and Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan along with Democratic…