State Rep. Tom Demmer: ‘Hard To Believe’ Democrat Budget Plan [AUDIO]

It's about to get really interesting in Springfield as the deadline to pass a spending plan for the upcoming budget year approaches.

House Speaker Mike Madigan says Democrats will run a spending plan this week for about $36.3 billion worth of expenditures, which is about $4 billion more than projected revenues. Illinois Radio Network reports:

“We will publicly acknowledge that we don’t have the money to pay for this budget,” Madigan told reporters Monday afternoon, “but we’re prepared to work with the governor (and) negotiate with the governor to raise the money so that there is a balanced budget.”

Madigan, during about twelve minutes at the lectern, repeatedly voiced his disagreement with the governor’s insistence upon passing “non-budget issues” such as tort reform, workers’ compensation reform, and a property tax freeze, elements of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda.”

State Rep. Tom Demmer joined us on the show to discuss what might happen this week in Springfield. He told us that Democrats have walked away from budget negotiations with Gov. Bruce Rauner:

Through the process, the Governor has reiterated that there must be "reform before revenue," meaning a real change in how business is done in Springfield before asking taxpayers for more money. Demmer told us that is a reasonable approach:

We should find out by the weekend whether a deal is struck or perhaps legislators will be stuck in another overtime session.