On Feb. 8, Senate Democrats pushed through four components associated with the ongoing Senate budget framework, jeopardizing the success of the bipartisan discussions that have been in the works for weeks between Senate leaders.
State Sen. Tom Rooney (R-Rolling Meadows) issued the following statement following the Feb. 8 floor action:
“While I can appreciate the Democrat’s urgency to act, we have to ensure that we’re going about this in the best and smartest way possible. The people of this state have time and time again been given empty gestures and false hope—enough is enough. The people of this state deserve stability, and that starts with giving them a complete budget package, not a piecemeal promise,” said Rooney. “The actions of the Senate Democrats today were disappointing, undermining budget negotiations by pushing through mere pieces of a budget framework, rather than giving the people of Illinois a comprehensive budget. In my eyes, what happened in the Senate today was a step backward for the state, and that is beyond frustrating. This is not the process Senate leaders agreed to and this is not the type of budget framework I can support. I will not allow myself, and more importantly the people of this state, to be bound by a voting process that is not only one-sided but also short-sighted. We all deserve better.”