>> NOW, ON TO THE STATE BUDGET

IMPASSE.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THE

LATEST IS HOUSE REPUBLICAN

LEADER JIM DURKIN OF WESTERN

SPRINGS.

AND "CHICAGO TONIGHT" EXTENDED

AN INVITATION TO HOUSE SPEAKER

MIKE MADIGAN AND THE OFFICE

RESPONDED THEY WOULD KEEP IT IN

MIND.

>> JIM WELCOME TO "CHICAGO

TONIGHT."

GLAD YOU ARE HERE.

GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE

PROGRESS OF THE WORKING GROUPS

WORKING TO COME UP WITH A

BUDGET?

>> WELL, I THINK THEY ARE MAKING

PROGRESS THERE WAS A MEETING

GROUP THAT DEALS WITH THE BUDGET

AND THE STOPGAP BUDGET REQUEST

WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH BY

THE END OF JUNE AND WE HAVE

GROUPS DEALING WITH REFORMS THAT

THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN ASKING FOR

FOR THE PAST YEAR-AND-A-HALF

REGARDING WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION

AND PROPERTY TAX REFORM AND

CONSOLIDATION MANDATE RELIEF WE

WILL FIND OUT SOON.

WE ARE SCHEDULED TO GO BACK INTO

SESSION NEXT WEEK AND I WILL

KNOW IF WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS ON

THE STOPGAP BUDGET TO GIVE

BREATHING ROOM TO PEOPLE WHO

RELY UPON STATE SERVICES WHICH

WILL GO THROUGH THE END OF THE

CALENDAR YEAR AND GIVE US TIME

TO NEGOTIATE AND PUT AN END TO

THE I AM PAPAS AND HAVE --

IMPASSE AND HAVE A FULL YEAR.

>> THERE'S TWO STOPGAP MEASURES

SORT OF IN THE --

OUT THERE AS WORKING ENTITIES.

WHICH ONE WHICH IS THE ONE THAT

YOU THINK HAS THE BEST CHANCE?

RIGHT NOW THE GOVERNOR HAS ONE

ON HIS OFFICE --

>> HUMAN SERVICES BILL ON HIS

DESK.

BUT I THINK THAT THAT BILL CAN

BE MOOTED OUT IF WE NEGOTIATE IN

A HONEST FASHION OVER THE NEXT

WEEK-AND-A-HALF WHICH WE CAN DO.

THINGS CAN MOVE QUICKLY IN

SPRINGFIELD IF PEOPLE ARE

WILLING TO DO IT.

THAT IS WHAT OUR BUDGET GROUP IS

DOING.

WE ARE WORKING ON APPROXIMATELY

$27 BILLION STOPGAP, HALF A YEAR

APPROPRIATION TO FUND VITAL

SERVICES, HIGHER ED, HUMAN

SERVICES, STATE OPERATIONS WHICH

ARE VERY, VERY CONCERNING WITH

OUR STATE PRISONS WHICH WE ARE

CONCERNED ABOUT VENDORS NOT

SUPPLYING ELECTRICITY, WATER,

FOOD.

BUT WE HAVE A GROUP THAT IS

NEGOTIATING ON A K-12 BILL

PASSED FOR THE FULL YEAR AND

THAT IS SOMETHING WHICH I HAVE

INTRODUCED ON BEHALF OF THE

GOVERNOR WHICH WILL FULLY FUND

EDUCATION AT 100% FOR THE FIRST

TIME IN FIVE YEARS.

OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS IT'S

PRORATED DOWN TO 90%.

THERE IS A LOT OF MOVING PARTS

BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A

PATHWAY TO GET THIS DONE.

IF THERE IS A WILLINGNESS ON

BEHALF OF THE DEMOCRATIC

LEADERSHIP TO PUT ASIDE WHATEVER

DIFFERENCES THEY MAY HAVE WITH

THE GOVERNOR AND GET TO WORK.

THE RANK-AND-FILE MEMBERS ARE

GETTING WRESTLESS.

WE HAVE BEEN OPEN FOR

NEGOTIATIONS FOR A LONGTIME AND

THE RANK-AND-FILE ON THE

DEMOCRATIC SIDE THEY WANT

RESOLUTIONS.

>> THE FLIP SIDE WOULD BE THAT

ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE THEY

MIGHT SAY SOCIAL SERVICE

AGENCIES ARE BEING DECIMATED AND

UNIVERSITIES MADE PAINFUL CUTS

AND THE FUTURE OF COLLEGE

STUDENTS ARE AT RISK IS IT WORTH

IT FOR THE TURN AROUND AGENDA?

>> I WILL SAY THIS...

WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM BECAUSE

LAST MAY THE DEMOCRATS IN THE

HOUSE AND THE SENATE PASSED A

BUDGET THAT WAS $4 BILLION OUT

OF BALANCE.

AND THEY CLAIM THEY ARE GOING TO

PROVIDE SERVICES TO ALL THE

DIFFERENT AGENCIES IN THE STATE

OF ILLINOIS.

THOSE ARE FALSE PROMISES BECAUSE

THEY GO IN THE BACK OF THE LINE

WITH THE COMPTROLLER AND THE $7

BILLION OF UNPAID BILLS.

IF WE HAVE MONEY THAT CAN FUND

THE PROGRAMS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE

THE CRISIS.

BUT LAST YEAR THEY DID NOT

NEGOTIATE WITH US.

IT IS A REPEAT OF RIGHT NOW.

AND HOPEFULLY WE DON'T HAVE THE

SAME RESULT.

WORKING GROUPS THAT WORKED A

YEAR AGO ON IMPORTANT ISSUES

WHICH THE GOVERNOR CAMPAIGNED ON

AND EVERYBODY IN ILLINOIS KNOWS

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE GOVERNOR

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ILLINOIS,

TOO.

WE ARE TRYING TO AVOID THAT

RIGHT NOW.

I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THE HOUSE

WHEN THEY PASSED A $7 BILLION

UNBALANCED BUDGET BUT I GIVE

CREDIT FOR THE DEMOCRATS FOR

REFUSING TO PASS THAT BILL.

YOU HAVE TO PASS A BALANCED

BUDGET THAT IS THE MOST

IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO.

>> LET ME ASK YOU THIS...

DO YOUR CONSTITUENTS COMPLAIN

MORE ABOUT THE IMPASSE'S IMPACT

ON SOCIAL SERVICES OR THE LACK

OF MOVEMENT ON THE GOVERNOR'S

TURN AROUND AGENDA?

REFORM AND DEALING WITH UNIONS?

>> IT'S REGIONAL FROM MY FOLKS

IT'S FAILURE OF THE DEMOCRATS TO

WORK WITH THE GOVERNOR TO BRING

PRO BUSINESS AND PRO GROWTH

MEASURES TO THE STATE OF

ILLINOIS.

>> THE.

>> THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE HEARING?

>> AND THEY ARE TELLING ME HOLD

STRONG BECAUSE THEY HAVE SEEN

WHAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE DONE TO

THE STATE BUDGET FOR THE PAST

MANY YEARS AND THEY ARE TIRED OF

IT.

THEY WANT US TO CHANGE THE

DIRECTION OF ILLINOIS AND MAKE

ILLINOIS A BETTER STATE.

WE ARE STILL LAGGING BEHIND IN

SO MANY CATEGORIES THROUGHOUT

THE NATION ON JOB GROWTH AND ALL

THE OTHER MEASURES THAT PEOPLE

LOOK AT IN THE PRODUCTION OF A

STATE.

>> BACK TO THE ISSUE OF THE

WORKING GROUPS.

PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE WINDOW

DRESSING AND WHAT IT WILL COME

DOWN TO IS THE GOVERNOR AND THE

LEGISLATIVE LEADERS COMING UP

WITH A DEAL.

HOW DO YOU REACT TO THAT POINT

OF VIEW?

>> I AM NOT TO BELIEVE THAT IS

THE CASE.

BUT I THINK THE WORKING GROUPS

ARE MAKING PROGRESS.

I TALK TO THEM ON A DAILY BASIS.

AND I HAVE MEMBERS DESEGREGATION

ANIES AND I BELIEVE THERE'S

AREAS WHICH THEY ARE FINDING

COMPROMISE IN PLACES THEY CAN

AGREE UPON.

>> BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE

WORKING GROUPS IT WILL BE THE

FOUR OF YOU.

>> THE SPEAKER STATED HE WILL

PUT IT IN THE HANDS OF THE MEN

AND WOMEN IN THE WORKING GROUPS

AND WE HAVE TO SIGN OFF ON IT

BUT I BELIEVE WE NEED TO GIVE

DEFERENCE TO THE MEN AND WOMEN

WHO PUT THE TIME AND EFFORT TO

FIND AREAS WHERE WE CAN AGREE.

AREAS WE CAN AGREE.

WE KNOW WHAT THE PRIORITY IS FOR

THE DEMOCRATS.

THEY WANT ADDITIONAL SPENDING

WITH THAT REQUIRES ADDITIONAL

REVENUE WHICH MEANS A TAX

INCREASE.

LET ME BE CLEAR THE GOVERNOR

SAID HE WILL SIGN A TAX

INCREASE.

I NEED TO KNOW WHERE THE

SACRIFICE IS FOR THE DEMOCRATS

ON PRIORITIES FOR REPUBLICANS.

WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING ILLINOIS

A MORE PRODUCTIVE STATE AND

BETTER BUSINESS CLIMATE.

BUT THIS IS WHAT THE WORKING

GROUPS ARE TRYING TO WORKOUT.

THAT IS WHERE WE ARE AT.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK AS YOU SEE

WHERE THE WORKING GROUPS ARE

GOING AND AS YOU FACTOR IN THE

DIFFERENT PRIORITIES THAT THE

LEADERSHIP HAS, WHAT DO YOU

THINK A BUDGET DEAL WOULD WINDUP

LOOKING LIKE?

GENERAL PARAMETERS?

>> THE BUDGET DEAL WILL HAVE

ADDITIONAL REVENUE AND MORE

SPENDING.

WE REALIZE THERE HAS TO BE

ADDITIONAL SPENDING TO MEET THE

OBLIGATIONS OF THE STATE FOR THE

UNDERSERVED AND SENIOR

POPULATION AND FOR NECESSARY

STATE SERVICES AND ALSO FOR OUR

BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.

BUT I ALSO DO BELIEVE THAT IT'S

IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE BUSINESS

REFORMS.

REFORMS AT ILLINOIS GOVERNMENT

REGARDING REFORMS AT LOCAL LEVEL

WITH CONSOLIDATION AND

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING REFORM AND

WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION REFORM WE

ARE LOSING BUSINESSES BECAUSE OF

THE COMPENSATION RATES THAT THE

MANUFACTURERS ARE PAYING IN

ILLINOIS.

I'VE HEARD IT FROM 100 OF THE

C.E.O.S WE CANNOT OPERATE IN

ILLINOIS.

EVERY OTHER STATE THE RATES ARE

CONSIDERABLY LESS AND IT CUTS

INTO OUR ABILITY TO GROW IN

ILLINOIS AND IT AFFECTS THE

MIDDLE CLASS.

TO INCREASE EMPLOYMENT INSIDE

THE PLANTS.

>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SOME

DEMOCRATS ARE WILLING TO MAKE

ACCOMMODATIONS ON WORKMENS' COMP

BUT THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

ASPECT THAT CAN BE A THIRD RAIL

FOR SO MANY.

>> I BELIEVE THEY ARE MAKING

PROGRESS IN THAT AREA.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET --

I BELIEVE WE ARE.

AND THAT IS BASED ON MY

CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR

DESIGNEES.

AND THE DEMOCRATS ARE WILLING TO

WORK WITH US ON CERTAIN AREAS

WITHIN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

TIME WILL TELL.

WE HAVE TO GET THIS WRAPPED UP

BY THE END OF JUNE OUR FISCAL

YEAR CLOSES AT THE END OF JUNE.

IF WE DO NOT HAVE A STOPGAP OR

FULL BUDGET I BELIEVE THAT THE

CONSEQUENCES WILL BE VERY, VERY,

VERY DRASTIC ON THE STATE OF

ILLINOIS.

IT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE FOR US

TO GO INTO ANOTHER YEAR WITHOUT

A BUDGET BUT A BALANCED BUDGET.

>> AND THE MAYOR WAS ON OUR SHOW

AND HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNOR IS

OBSESSED WITH THE HOUSE SPEAKER

AND HE SHOULD GET MOBY DICK AS

SUMMER READING.

IS THE GOVERNOR OBSESSED WITH

MICHAEL MADIGAN?

>> I DON'T BELIEVE SO.

I THINK THE GOVERNOR IS OBSESSED

WITH THE BAD GOVERNMENT OF

ILLINOIS OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS.

THE GOVERNOR RAN ON ONE REASON.

HE WANTED TO FIX SPRINGFIELD.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT IS A

PERSONAL MATTER BETWEEN THE

GOVERNOR AND THE SPEAKER AND

ALSO THE MAYOR.

I DO NOT BELIEVE SO.

THE GOVERNOR HAS NOT CHANGED

SINCE HE STARTED CAMPAIGNING AND

SINCE HE BECAME HE WAS SWORN

INTO OFFICE.

THAT IS ALL GREAT FOR POLITICS

AND PEOPLE TO WHISPER OUTSIDE

THE HOUSE CHAMBER BUT I BELIEVE

THE GOVERNOR IS COMMITTED TO

CHANGING ILLINOIS AND NOT

ALLOWING THE DEMOCRAT LEADERSHIP

TO DO END AROUNDS ON HIM BUT

ALSO THE GOVERNOR IS DEMANDING

WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AND BE

ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE EACH OTHER'S

PRIORITIES AND THAT IS WHAT HE

IS STATING.

HE MAY BE ROUGH BUT HE IS ALSO A

TOUGH GUY.

AND HE IS NOT GOING TO BE PUSHED

AROUND AND HE'S FOCUSED ON WHAT

IS IMPORTANT FOR THE STATE OF

ILLINOIS AND I AGREE WITH HIM.

>> AND YET, IF YOU LOOK AT HOUSE

SPEAKER MADIGAN HOW MANY

GOVERNORS HAS HE BEEN THROUGH?

IS THE GOVERNOR BEING

OUTMANEUVERED IN TERMS OF

OPERATING WITHIN THE LEGISLATIVE

SYSTEM POLITICALLY.

SOME PEOPLE THINK HE IS?

>> I DISAGREE AND THAT IS SPIN

THAT WE ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW.

BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE

DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP AND THE

RANK-AND-FILE MEMBERS ARE

FRUSTRATED THEY HAVE NOT BEEN

ABLE TO GET CART BLANCH OUT OF

THE TWO GOVERNORS IN THE PAST.

THEY BELIEVE THEY OWN THE

CAPITOL AND THEY HAVE A NEW

SHERIFF IN TOWN WITH A

REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR WHO FEELS

STRONG AND COMMITTED TOWARDS

WHAT HE RAN ON AND WHAT HE

BELIEVES IS THE FUTURE FOR

ILLINOIS.

THEY ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THAT

THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO

GET THE GOVERNOR OR THE

REPUBLICANS TO CAPITULATE TO

THEIR DEMANDS.

WE STOPPED 70 VETO OVERRIDES AND

BAD BILLS REGARDING COLLECTIVE

BARGAINING ISSUES AND THAT HAS

BEEN STOPPED IN THE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES.

THEY DO NOT HAVE THEIR WAY.

THEY HAVE NOT --

IT'S NOT THE SAME PATH WHICH

THEY HAVE HAD FOR YEARS BEFORE.

>> GOVERNOR EDGAR WAS ON THE

SHOW AND HE SAID THAT DEALING

WITH MICHAEL MADIGAN IS NOT

NECESSARILY EASY BUT PART OF THE

JOB.

IS THE GOVERNOR DOING HIS JOB?

>> I THINK THEY DO CONVERSE.

I THINK EVERYBODY CAN TALK MORE

AND MEET MORE BUT THE GOVERNOR

IS DOING THIS JOB ON MANAGING

THE STATE UNDER DIFFICULT

CIRCUMSTANCES.

THE GOVERNOR WENT IN WITH GOOD

FAITH AND WAS NOT REWARDED WITH

THAT BY THE DEMOCRATS PASSING

THE BUDGET $4 BILLION OUT OF

BALANCE AND DID WORSE THIS YEAR

WITH THE $7 BILLION UNBALANCED

BUDGET.

THAT IS NOT GOOD FAITH.

IT IS A TWO-WAY STREET.

SO THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP

NEEDS TO BE MORE UP FRONT AND

OBLIGING TO THE NEEDS AND ALSO

THE PRIORITIES OF THE REPUBLICAN

GOVERNOR AND ALSO THE REPUBLICAN

CAUCUS.

>> SWITCHING GEARS I WILL ASK A

QUESTION THAT REPUBLICANS ARE

BEING ASKED.

ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE FOR DONALD

TRUMP?

>> I WILL CONSIDER THE VOTING

FOR A REPUBLICAN AFTER THE

NOMINATION IS SET AND CLEAR.

NO ONE HAS BEEN NOMINATED YET.

I WILL WAIT UNTIL THERE IS A

NOMINEE.

>> ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT

NOMINEE MIGHT NOT BE DONALD

TRUMP?

>> I AM NOT SAYING THAT HE IS

THE PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE BUT A

LOT OF THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN

THE WORLD.

I'M MORE INTERESTED ON HELPING

MY COLLEAGUES GET ELECTED AND

PICK UP SEATS IN THE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES.

I'M RAISING MONEY THROUGHOUT THE

STATE ALONG WITH MY FUNCTIONS.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M

THINKING ABOUT BUT I WILL WAIT