SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois lawmakers are entering the final day to settle a budget deal and avoid a potentially catastrophic failure.
Lawmakers have a lot of work to do Friday if they hope to meet a midnight deadline for completing the state’s first annual budget in two years.
House Democrats plan to vote on a $36.5 billion spending outline. They have said an income tax hike will fund it, but haven’t produced legislation.
Negotiations continue on issues unrelated to the budget that Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner insists must be addressed before acceding to a budget. They include a four-year property tax freeze, cost-cutting pension-benefits changes and reforms to workers compensation.
The state has a $6 billion deficit and $15 billion in overdue bills. Credit agencies have threatened to downgrade Illinois debt to “junk.”
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