SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Gov. Bruce Rauner is unfazed by House Democrats’ challenge to accept whatever deals Republican lawmakers negotiate with Democrats on so-called “non-budget” issues.
Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago and Republican Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs agreed Monday that the two sides are negotiating long-held pet issues of the Republican governor. They include cost-saving changes to the workers’ compensation and employee-pension programs and a property-tax freeze.
But Madigan says Durkin must then convince Rauner to agree to the compromises lawmakers make on those issues. Madigan says Rauner has changed his mind in such situations previously.
Rauner spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis (ih-LEH’-nee dih-MURT’-ziss) declined comment. But she noted that Rauner sent a tweet Monday that noted lawmakers have “four more days to send a balanced budget to my desk. Stop wasting time.”