In a sign that a final state budget plan will look significantly different than what Gov. Bruce Rauner outlined Wednesday, the man expected to deliver Republican votes in the House predicted tough but "delicate" negotiations lie ahead.
In an interview Thursday with the Lee Enterprises Springfield bureau, House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, downplayed concerns that Rauner proposed a budget that is not balanced because it relies on $2.2 billion in savings from an overhaul of state employee pensions.
"Everything in that speech is subject to negotiation," Durkin said as the House adjourned for the week.
Critics say balancing the budget on a proposal that likely will be challenged in court is dishonest and "reckless."
But, said Durkin, "We just need to hold on and let's talk, let's work with the (governor) to make some sense out of these things and mitigate some of concerns that people have."
The GOP leader's comments echo the concerns voiced by rank-and-file lawmakers who said Rauner's blueprint for the fiscal year beginning July 1 is just a starting point and could change as lawmakers weigh in on some of the changes.
Chief among the sticking points is Rauner's plan to move state workers, university employees and teachers hired after Jan. 1, 2011 into a less-generous pension system. Rauner also wants to give workers the option of cashing out their pensions and investing that money in a self-managed retirement account.
Teachers' unions, which contribute campaign dollars to downstate Republicans, said the plan is "obviously unconstitutional."
"The good news about today's speech is that Governor Rauner cannot autocratically impose his dark vision for Illinois," said Cinda Klickna, president of the Illinois Education Association.
House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, said it was "reckless" for Rauner to build a budget using revenue that might never be collected.
Durkin said his goal in the coming weeks will be to find ways to cut state spending within the parameters laid out by Rauner. But he did not commit to following the exact template proposed by the rookie chief executive.
"The governor has indicated he wants to live within a certain revenue number and how we get there, he'll be very open to how we do that," Durkin said. "It's going to be really delicate, but I think it's going to be a very good negotiating year for the caucuses."
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