Fom State Rep. Dan Ugaste:
BUDGET
As Democrats continue negotiating how to spend taxpayer dollars for the coming fiscal year, Republicans say millions of their constituents across Illinois are being snubbed.
Spring session of the Illinois Legislature ends April 8.
It’s expected a plan to spend taxpayer dollars for the fiscal year that starts July 1 will be approved before then. […]
House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, said Republicans have been frozen out of negotiations.
He expects large amounts of spending supported by federal tax dollars that Democrats will tout as a great accomplishment.
Durkin also said despite House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, saying it’s a “new day” after replacing former longtime Speaker Michael Madigan, Democrats will be taking up what Durkin called the Madigan model to budgeting.
“And that’s excluding the minority party and all their constituents from every major decision regarding their welfare in Illinois,” Durkin said Wednesday during an unrelated news conference.