Finger-Pointing Over Lack Of State Budget Continues
(CBS) -- A top Senate Democrat says the unthinkable is possible: Illinois may go two more years without an agreement on a Budget.
WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports.
Illinois state Sen. Don Harmon is President Pro Tem of the Senate.
The Democrat from Oak Park notes that the state's backlog of unpaid bills grows by the day, and state universities and many local service agencies are suffering. But he's not seeing any real progress to resolving the two-year budget stalemate.
"It is absolutely devastating, but I am trying brace myself and others for that possibility."
Naturally, he blames Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, questioning whether really wants a "grand bargain" compromise.
Rauner has said it is the Democrats and House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, who don't want an agreement. He says they want chaos to force a tax hike.
The governor has been insisting on what he calls fundamental reforms, such as term limits and redistricting, before he would agree to higher taxes.