Last month, Gov. Bruce Rauner unveiled his budget --- chock full of cuts to state programs. But now it's the legislature's turn to take a swipe at a state spending plan. Amanda Vinicky reports on a hearing, at which the governor's office had to testify before lawmakers about its own budget.
Given the widespread frustration by Democrats at the huge cuts Rauner, a Republican, has proposed, you may expect a hearing like this to get a bit tense. But House members were relatively easy on the governor's top aides, who say the governor's office is cutting its budget by ten percent.
This question, from Democratic Rep. Robert Martwick of Norridge to Rauner's budget chief Tim Nuding, was about as pointed as it got.
"We hear much speak of shared sacrifice. Is there any thought of sharpening your pencils on your own budget if you're going to, you know, cut higher ed by 31% or any of those other big ticket items?" Martwick asked.
"I think we'd be glad to revisit that," Nuding replied. "I mean we know we have a long, hopefully, four months working with the legislature on putting a budget together. We know we'll be working collaboratively, with you. We're open to that, if the legislature wants to look at deeper reductions in the constitutions, G.A. (General Assembly), and the judicial offices. I think we're open to that, as it fits into the broad picture."
Likewise, only a few questions were thrown at Rauner's handpicked Lt. Gov, Evelyn Sanguinetti. Enough that the committee's chair, Democratic Rep. Fred Crespo of Hoffman Estates, told her: "Don't get used to this, I mean we usually ask a lot of questions ... but we're all new."
The real battles won't be fought over office budgets; they'll be fought over spending on healthcare for the poor, drug addiction treatment, bullying prevention programs, and other services.
