Are lawmakers any closer to a budget agreement? We speak with two legislators about the progress in Springfield.
Budget Impasse
A vote this week in the Illinois Senate could determine whether poorer school districts like Chicago Public Schools get more state money. But top Republicans say it’s a nonstarter because more affluent suburban school districts would lose money as a result.
![Andrea Durbin: "Collectively [the agencies] are owed over $100 million to date. That number grows every day. We're just trying to be paid for the work we've done."](https://news.wttw.com/sites/default/files/styles/json_lg/public/field/image/r_service%20provider%20lawsuit_C0002_frame_4118.jpg "Andrea Durbin: \"Collectively [the agencies] are owed over $100 million to date. That number grows every day. We're just trying to be paid for the work we've done.\"")
On Wednesday, a coalition of 64 Illinois-based human and social service agencies and companies filed a lawsuit against Gov. Bruce Rauner and the directors of six statewide agencies seeking payment for work performed since July 1, 2015.
Gov. Bruce Rauner signed legislation Monday to help public universities and community colleges that have seen their financial foothold slip during Illinois’s unprecedented budget impasse.
Gov. Bruce Rauner approves emergency funding for higher education in Illinois. But is it enough to keep Chicago State University and others afloat?
Chicago schools chief Forrest Claypool slams the governor's education plan that sees CPS losing $74 million. We speak with our Springfield correspondent Amanda Vincky.
Measure Called a 'Lifeline' for Social Services
State Republican leaders unveiled a $1.3 billion spending plan Thursday that they say will be a “lifeline” for social services and other programs that have struggled financially in the ongoing budget impasse.
State lawmakers return to Springfield this week to vote on a number of measures, but not on the agenda is the No. 1 topic of discussion—the state budget that should have gone into effect last year.
It has already cut its school year short and is now warning of hundreds of layoffs. Chicago State University's chancellor says the school is in shock because the state budget stalemate has starved it of funding. But is the 150-year-old school in danger of closing?
Like a planet drifting into a black hole, the state’s unprecedented political stalemate over the budget is increasingly sucking public education into financial uncertainty. State lawmakers discuss the fight over public education and Gov. Bruce Rauner's budget ultimatum.
Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday laid out two options for state lawmakers in his second budget address. Tonight, Amanda Vinicky joins us live from Springfield with more details of the governor’s budget proposal and response from Democratic legislative leaders.
Hear what viewers had to say about Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger’s warning about state taxes, Carol Marin’s interview with CPS CEO Forrest Claypool and Chicago’s high-rise boom when we read feedback from the "Chicago Tonight" website, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Hear what viewers had to say about Gov. Bruce Rauner's State of the State address when we read feedback from the "Chicago Tonight" website, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.
The fiscal cracks may be turning into floodgates as the state government approaches a fifth month without a budget. A major ratings agency on Monday dealt a blow to the state as a result of the inaction in Springfield. Has it emboldened either side to get off the sidelines and work together on a solution? Paris Schutz has the latest.
For nearly half of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s term, Illinois has been without a budget. Rauner argues the budget impasse constitutes a state of emergency, which is his rationale for using an obscure rule-making procedure to cut spending and set up stricter eligibility requirements for social services. Amanda Vinicky joins us to discuss the governor’s plans.
As summer turns to fall, time seems to be at a standstill in Springfield. With the House not scheduled to meet anytime soon, is now the time for state lawmakers to break ranks and come up with a plan B? And if so, what practical options do they have? We talk with a group of so-called rebel lawmakers.
