SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The finger pointing over the latest Illinois state budget and beyond is, if anything, intensifying now that the budget itself has passed and heading for the Governor’s desk.
A little more than 12 hours after Illinois lawmakers approved his latest budget, Governor Pritzker met with reporters to sing its praises.
"Ours is a budget that addresses the historical structural deficit, and makes responsible choices; paying off debt early, nearly eliminating our backlog of bills, and making critical investments," Pritzker said.
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin argues the budget penalizes businesses. And as for ethics reform, he said lawmakers falls short when they should have been stepping up.
"When we are in the midst of the worst scandal in Illinois history, don't you think our citizens would want more from us? They desperately want honesty in government, and they did not get it," he said.
Durkin said Democrats have touted a “new day” under new House Speaker Chris Welch, but he said the way the state budget was rushed through at literally the 11th hour this week points to something else. He said it's still like Mike Madigan-style politics.
"With the maps and also the budget, and how it was put together, making sure that rank and file members of the legislature on his side of the aisle were taken care of - it is right out of the 65th and Pulaski playbook," he said.
That's where former House Speaker Mike Madigan's offices were.
Governor Pritzker accuses the Republicans of trying to take care of their own when it comes to COVID relief aid, saying they want to use COVID-19 relief money from Washington to help their big business friends.
"Republicans want to use our one-time COVID relief funds to kick the budget can down the road, and give favors to wealthy business interests," he said.
Both sides said there’s almost no bipartisanship now.
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