THE
MONEY IS there. Tax revenues are being collected, as usual. There just isn’t a
spending plan that dictates how all the money is to be allocated to the many
services that government has an obligation to provide.
All
we have got in the way of fiscal activity are
various moves by the governor and the Legislature that are more about
partisan politics – moves that can be described in ways that favor oneself and
try to place total blame for what is happening on the other side.
That
seems to be the strategy – no one seems concerned about the lack of a budget.
Even though the state Constitution specifically says that money can’t be spent
without a budgetary plan put in place.
Except
that there are certain functions that MUST be performed, even if government can’t
get its act together to allocate their finances. Those tend to be the functions
that have court orders that say a lack of funds is not sufficient reason to
avoid doing something.
THEN,
THERE’S THE fact that Gov. Bruce Rauner did sign off on the part of the state
budget that covers public education programs. School districts across the state
are supposed to begin this week receiving their funding for the upcoming
academic year.
So
that’s one part of government responsibility that will be performed.
In
fact, the Chicago Tribune reported Monday that about 80 percent of the state’s
money is being spent – even though much attention will be paid to the remaining
20 percent.
The
problem we’re in is that we have state officials determined to view this as a
political spat. They want to win the partisan war – and are all convinced that
the public will view their own actions as heroic and place blame on the
opposition.
ARE
WE DESTINED to go through all of Fiscal ’16 without a budget ever formally
being approved. Whether we realize it or not, that is a problem!
The
issue is that without a budget, state agencies and programs that are able to
spend money (including those employees who continue to get paid because the
courts in the Illinois-based suburbs of St. Louis said they must) continue to
do so at the rate of funds they had last year.
But
this is the year the state seriously needs to make a few billion dollars in
spending cuts, or approve some sort of tax increase (although I’m sure they
have a toned-down term to describe their actions) to make up the difference.
The
longer our government officials put off trying to seriously negotiate, the more
likely it becomes that we wind up tapping into next year’s money in order to
pay off this year’s debt. With the cycle getting worse and worse as time passes
by.
THIS
IS EXACTLY the kind of inaction that results in the ridiculously-low approval
ratings our government officials get. There is no one who will “win” this
partisan spat.
Some
people want to believe that Gov. Bruce Rauner made it clear when he ran for
office that he wanted to take on organized labor; and that his electoral victory
last year somehow gives him the right to succeed. Considering Rauner has hinted
he could approve some things to create more funds IF his anti-union measures
are advanced makes me think he knows more money is a necessary component.
At
what point does his desire to challenge the “veto-proof” opposition-party
General Assembly on this issue merely constitute a contrarian nature and an ego
run amok? For now, this is a fight he needs to put aside for the good of the
state.
Perhaps
if he gets a more sympathetic General Assembly in the future (and with all the
money he’s coming up with for GOP legislative candidates, that’s obviously his
goal), then he’ll be in a position to force his organized labor opposition
agenda on the people of Illinois without gumming up the works of government operations.
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