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Illinois Lawmakers Divided On Passing Full Budget

Flickr user 401(K) 2012 / "Money" (CC v. 2.0)

Illinois’ top politicians are divided on how to end their feud over passing a full budget. 

Republicans are holding out for Governor Bruce Rauner’s agenda.  It includes changes to workers compensation and imposes term limits on lawmakers.

House Minority Leader Jim Durkin says Republicans will be happy to talk about balancing the budget if these measures are implemented. 

"We have been open for the past two years on working with the Democrats on addressing their priorities as long as our priorities were going to be met as well," he says.  "What is difficult with that? That is how you negotiate.”

Democrats say they won’t let state spending be used as a bargaining chip over what they call "non-budget issues.”  The state runs out of spending authority at midnight on December 31.

Brian Mackey formerly reported on state government and politics for NPR Illinois and a dozen other public radio stations across the state. Before that, he was A&E editor at The State Journal-Register and Statehouse bureau chief for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.