With Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democratic legislative leaders unable to agree on a spending plan for Illinois, the odds of a government shutdown are increasing. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin says that sort of crisis would be bad for business.
Part of the disagreement in Illinois stems Rauner’s insistence that — before he’ll negotiate on the budget — legislators must approve his pro-business, anti-incumbent agenda.
Durbin, a Democrat who’s been in Congress through three major federal shutdowns, did not place blame on either side. But he says a state government shutdown would be “a disaster."
“There’s a lot of talk by Democrats and Republicans about creating a positive business climate," Durbin told reporters Sunday afternoon. "Let me tell you: Shut down state government is not a positive business climate. A hundred school districts not opening their schools is no attraction for a new business to come to Illinois."
While the state is technically supposed to have a budget in place by July 1, it’s possible government operations would not be affected until mid-July or August.
