>> AMANDA, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND NOW TO EDDIE AND THE

ILLINOIS SENATE LEADERS JOHN

CULLERTON AND CHRISTINE RADOGNO.

>> PHIL, THERE IS AN EFFORT TO

GET A BUDGET DEAL.

STATE SENATE LEADERS ARE HAVE

CRAFTED A SPENDING PROPOSAL THAT

MIGHT END THE 18-MONTH-LONG

STANDOFF.

IT CONTAINS SOME REFORM ELEMENTS

DEMANDED BY GOVERNOR BRUCE

RAUNER AS WELL AS SOME OF THE

REVENUE GENERATION DEMOCRATS

WANT.

A LONG SOUGHT-AFTER COMPROMISE.

HOWEVER THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT

THE PLAN IS NOT YET, QUOTE,

BAKED.

AND THERE'S NO WORD IF THE

SPEAKER IS ON BOARD.

JOINING US TO GIVE US THE

INFORMATION ON THIS PLAN IS

ILLINOIS SENATE PRESIDENT JOHN

CULLERTON AND REPUBLICAN SENATE

LEADER CHRISTINE RADOGNO.

SO PRESIDENT CULLERTON, WE HEARD

YOU SAY IT'S TIME FOR

BIPARTISANSHIP.

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE ACHIEVED

IT.

HOW DID YOU DO IT?

>> IT'S EMBARRASSING THAT WE

DON'T HAVE A BUDGET AFTER TWO

YEARS.

I AM SURE SENATOR RADOGNO IS

FEELING THE SAME.

WE HAVE BEEN BLAMED, THE ONLY

THING WE CAN DO IS TO SEE IF WE

CAN PASS A COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET

BILL WITH REFORMS THAT WE VOTE

ON THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ALL THE

TIME.

THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO

NOW.

WE HOPE TO PASS THIS NEXT WEEK.

IF WE ARE SUCCESSFUL, WE WILL GO

TO THE HOUSE, WE WOULD HOPE THAT

THE HOUSE LEADERS WOULD

REPLICATE WHAT WE WOULD HAVE

DONE AND PERHAPS WE CAN GET PAST

THIS IMPASSE.

>> WELL SENATOR RADOGNO, AS I

MENTIONED IT SEEMS TO HAVE A

LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR

WANTED AND WHAT THE DEMOCRATS

HAVE WANTED.

THAT'S CALLED COMPROMISE.

WHY HAS IT TAKEN TO THAT POINT

TO GET THAT?

>> WELL THAT'S A VERY GOOD

QUESTION.

IT SHOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN TO THIS

POINT BUT ONCE AGAIN WE ARE

FACING A CRISIS.

AS MANY LISTENERS ARE AWARE, THE

STOP-GAP BUDGET THAT WAS PASSED

LAST SPRING EXPIRED ON DECEMBER

31 MEANING THERE IS NOW NO MONEY

FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, HUMAN

SERVICES, AND SOME CRITICAL

STATE FUNCTIONS.

SO, WE HAVE THE OPTION NOW OF

ONCE AND FOR ALL DIGGING IN AND

TRYING TO SET THIS PATH, SET THE

STATE BECOME ON A PATH OF

FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR THE LONG

TERM.

NOT JUST CAREEN FROM CRISIS TO

CRISIS.

I THINK THE FRUSTRATION AMONG

RANK AND FILE MEMBERS AND MYSELF

INCLUDED AND SENATE PRESIDENT

CULLERTON INCLUDED, WE ARE

FRUSTRATED.

WE BELIEVE THE STATE DESERVES

BETTER THAN THIS.

>> LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE KEY

COMPONENTS OF THIS PROPOSAL AND

YOU CAN TELL US WHETHER THEY ARE

STILL IN THERE OR HAVE THEY

CHANGEDED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.

SO, AMONG THE KEY PROVISIONS IN

THE BUDGET ITSELF ARE A PERSONAL

INCOME TAX INCREASE, A PROPERTY

TAX FREEZE, WHICH THE GOVERNOR

HAS WANTED, A SWEETENED BEVERAGE

TAX SIMILAR TO WHAT HAS RECENTLY

BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN COOK COUNTY,

PENSION REFORM, WHICH IS WHAT

PRESIDENT CULLERTON HAS PUT

FORTH, ALSO, THERE IS A PROPOSAL

TO ADD SIX CASINOS TO THE STATE,

INCLUDING ONE HERE IN CHICAGO,

WORKERS COMPENSATION REFORM,

PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING REFORM,

AND SENATE TERM LIMITS WHICH

HAVE BEEN ENACTED WHICH EFFECTS

REALLY THE LEADERSHIP.

SO THE TWO OF YOU NOW CAN ONLY

SERVE FOR 10 YEARS IN LEADERSHIP

POSITIONS.

LET'S TALK FIRST ABOUT THAT

PERSONAL INCOME TAX INCREASE.

THE PROPOSAL AS HAS BEEN STATED

SO FAR IS TO INCREASE IT BY A

THIRD.

FROM 3.75% TO 4.95%.

IS THAT STILL PART OF THE PLAN?

>> THAT'S IN THE BILL AS IT'S

BEEN INTRODUCED.

I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT

DEMOCRATS DON'T LIKE VOTING FOR

TAXES ANY MORE THAN REPUBLICANS

BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED

SOME REVENUE.

WE ALSO ARE OPEN TO OTHER

REFORMS THAT WE VOTE ON ALL THE

TIME AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IN THE

PACKAGE.

SO, NOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF

LOBBYISTS HIRED SINCE WE

INTRODUCED THIS BILL TO TRY TO

WORK AGAINST SOME OF THESE

PROVISIONS SO WE ARE OPEN.

OUR GOAL HERE IS TO MAKE SURE WE

HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO HAVE

REASONABLE CUTS IN OUR BUDGET

BUT ALSO A BALANCED BUDGET AFTER

WE DO THAT.

WE HAVE A DEFICIT TO OVERCOME IN

THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, BUT WE

WANT TO BE ABLE, WHEN WE DO OUR

NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET IN MAY TO

HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO HAVE A

BALANCED BUDGET.

>> THAT PROPOSAL TO INCREASE IT

BY A THIRD WILL BRING IN ABOUT

$1.7 BILLION.

THAT'S PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH.

MIGHT IT HAVE TO GO HIGHER?

>> WE HAVE OTHER PROVISIONS.

PROCUREMENT REFORM SAVES MONEY.

THE BEVERAGE TAX THAT YOU TALKED

ABOUT AND LOOP HOLES THAT WE

CLOSED IN THE TAX CODE.

SO THAT BRINGS IN MONEY AS WELL.

>> PENSION REFORM AND AGAIN, I

WANT TO STRESS THAT WE ARE OPEN,

ASCEND PRESIDENT JUST POINTED

OUT.

ONCE YOU PUT SOMETHING THAT'S

REAL, AND THIS IS A REAL

PROPOSAL, THIS IS NOT A

THEORETICAL WHERE WE ARE

GENERALLY IN FAVOR OF SOME LEVEL

OF INCOME TAX INCREASE.

THIS IS A REAL PROPOSAL.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE COMING OUT OF

THE WOODWORK TO OPPOSE VARIOUS

PARTS OF IT.

SO, WE ARE AT A VERY TRICKY

POINT RIGHT NOW.

WE WANT TO GET THE VOTES TO PASS

TO KEEP THE FORWARD MOMENTUM.

AND WE ALSO WANT TO BE FLEXIBLE

AND OPEN SO IF SOMEONE SAYS THIS

PIECE OF IS IT A NONSTARTER,

GREAT.

WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE THAT WE

MIGHT REPLACE THAT WITH?

>> AND YOU FEEL THAT YOUR

MEMBERSHIP IS COMING THROUGH?

ARE YOU COMMITTING OR

GUARANTEEING ANY VOTES ON THIS

PARTICULAR PLAN?

>> IT IS CERTAINLY OUR PLAN TO

HAVE VOTES ON THIS PLAN AND I

WILL TELL YOU, BOTH OF US MET

WITH OUR CAUCUSES WHEN WE

INTRODUCED THE BILLS IN THE LAST

GENERAL ASSEMBLY JUST TO BEGIN

TO GET THE IDEA OUT THERE.

THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT

OF ENTHUSIASM TO BE ABLE TO BE

PART OF BREAKING WHAT HAS BEEN A

MISERABLE STATUS QUESTION FOR

THIS STATE.

>> EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE VERY

TOUGH VOTES ON BOTH SIDES PEOPLE

HAVE TO TAKE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> IS THERE SOME IRONY OR

WHATEVER YOU WANT TO

CHARACTERIZE IT, THAT THE INCOME

TAX INCREASE THAT WAS

IMPLEMENTED UNDER PATRICK QUINN,

THAT WAS ALLOWED TO SUNSET THAT

WAS HEAVILY CRITICIZED BY THE

CURRENT GOVERNOR, IS SOMEHOW

COMING BACK INTO A PLAN?

>> YOU KNOW WHAT?

IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WE

AREN'T NEGOTIATING WITH THE

GOVERNOR OR THE HOUSE.

WE ARE GOING TO SEE IF THE

SENATE LEADERS CAN GET TOGETHER

IN A STRUCTURED ROLE CALL TO GET

ENOUGH VOTES TO PASS A

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT HAS A

FULLY FUNDED BUDGET.

THAT'S WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON.

WHATEVER STEPS NECESSARY TO SEE

IF PEOPLE CAN VOTE, NOT HAVE A

PRESS CONFERENCE BUT HAVE AN

ACTUAL VOTE ON REAL LEGISLATION.

THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO

ACCOMPLISH.

>> REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN PUSHING

BACK ON ANY KIND OF TAX INCREASE

UNLESS THEY GET REFORMS.

DO YOU THINK THAT THE REFORMS

THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS

PLAN ARE ENOUGH TO SATISFY

EVERYONE AND GET ANY KIND OF TAX

INCREASE THAT YOU MIGHT NEED?

>> ULTIMATELY PEOPLE WILL HAVE

TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISION ON

THAT BUT I WILL SAY THIS.

THE GOVERNOR LAID OUT HIS AGENDA

EARLY ON.

WE HAVE HAD WORKING GROUPS OF

RANK AND FILE LEGISLATORS IN

BOTH PARTIES WORKING ON DETAILS

OF THOSE IDEAS, PROPOSALS, FOR

TWO YEARS.

MOST OF WHAT THE SENATE

PRESIDENT AND I HAVE DONE IS

WORK OFF OF THOSE

RECOMMENDATIONS TO TRY TO FIGURE

OUT, AGAIN, WHAT CAN WE GET

ENOUGH VOTES ON TO PASS?

BECAUSE REMEMBER, WE HAVE A

DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATURE AND A

REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR.

SO, IT'S TRICKY.

>> INCLUDED IN THIS AS WE

MENTIONED IS THIS PENSION REFORM

PLAN THAT YOU HAVE SUBMITTED.

CAN YOU GIVE US MORE THAN THE

CLIFFSNOTES VERSION OF THIS?

>> ABOUT 25% OF OUR WORK FORCE

HAS BEEN HIRED IN THE LAST FIVE

YEARS.

THEY HAVE A MORE LIMITED PENSION

CALLED A TIER 2 PENSION.

WHAT THIS BILL DOES IS A BETTER

PENSION IF THEY GIVE UP THEIR

PENSION, TAKE A LESSER PIER 2

PENSION WE WILL REFUND MONEY

THAT THEY ACTUALLY PAID INTO THE

FUND IN THE STATE AND GIVE THEM

MORE IN THE FUTURE.

THEY WILL GET SOMETHING IF THEY

WANT IT TAKE A LESSER PENSION.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO.

AS A RESULT, EITHER WAY THE

STATE WILL SAVE MONEY.

IT'S CONSTITUTIONAL BECAUSE WE

ARE GIVING THEM A CHOICE, THEY

ARE GETTING SOMETHING FOR IT.

THAT'S WHAT'S CALLED

CONSIDERATION.

>> WHAT IS THE AMOUNT THAT YOU

ARE SAYING?

>> THE AMOUNT WE EXPECT TO SAVE

AT THE STATE LEVEL IS ABOUT A

BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR ONCE

FULLY IMPLEMENTED.

THAT'S THE KIND OF MONEY THAT

CAN GO BACK INTO EDUCATION AND

SERVICES AND HIGHER EDUCATION.

THAT'S A REASON TO BE FOR IT.

>> OTHER PROVISIONS IN THE

PENSION PLAN THAT WERE THE

GOVERNOR'S IDEA THAT WILL

PRODUCE SOME CASH ALMOST

IMMEDIATELY THAT ARE NOT EVEN

SUBJECT TO A, TO ANY KIND OF A

COURT CHALLENGE.

THERE'S ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY FOR

PEOPLE TO OPT INTO A VOLUNTARY

401(K) TYPE PLAN.

AS WELL AS THE ELIMINATION OF

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PENSION

SYSTEM.

>> AS I MENTIONED, THE PRESIDENT

OR EXCUSE ME THE GOVERNOR HAS

ALREADY COMMENTED ON THIS AND I

KNOW THAT YOU SAID THAT YOU HAVE

ONLY BEEN WORKING ON THIS IN THE

SENATE, NOT WITH THE GOVERNOR

NOR THE HOUSE.

BUT, HE SAID, AS I QUOTED, THAT

THIS IS NOT YET FULLY BAKED.

THAT IT FALLS NEARLY $5 BILLION

SHORT OF WHAT'S NEEDED TO GET,

TO NOT HAVE A DEFICIT BY JUNE.

DOES THAT IMPLY THAT YOU ARE

GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE MUCH MORE,

MANY MORE CHANGES?

>> WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A

FISCAL YEAR, SPENDING MORE THAN

WE HAVE COMING IN.

THIS BILL THAT WE HAVE WILL

REDUCE THAT DEFICIT.

SO THAT'S FOR THIS CURRENT

FISCAL YEAR.

IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR STARTING

JULY 1, WE EXPECT FOR THIS

PACKAGE TO ALLOW US WITH SOME

REASONABLE CUTS TO STILL HAVE A

BALANCED BUDGET.

WE WILL GO BACK AND LOOK AT

THOSE ASSUMPTIONS THAT THE

GOVERNOR'S OFFICE PUT OUT THERE

TO SEE IF WE AGREE WITH THEM.

IF WE HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS

TO OUR PROPOSAL, WE WILL DO SO

SO THAT WE HAVE THE PRINCIPLE OF

HAVING A BALANCED BUDGET FOR

NEXT YEAR.

WE AREN'T GOING TO GO THROUGH

ALL THIS AND NOT HAVE A BALANCED

BUDGET.

>> THE PROPOSAL TO ADD MORE

CASINOS IN ILLINOIS INCLUDING

HERE IN CHICAGO HAS BEEN FLOATED

BEFORE.

HOW IS THIS ONE ANY DIFFERENT?

>> CAN I JUST TALK ABOUT THAT?

I'M NOT A BIG FUND OF GAMBLING

BUT WE HAVE BEEN FUNDING SCHOOLS

IN INDIANA INSTEAD OF ILLINOIS.

THAT'S WHY WE RELUCTANTLY

ADVANCED THIS.

THE POINT IS, WE WILL GET

UP-FRONT FEES FOR NEW CASINOS

PROBABLY CLOSE TO A BILLION

DOLLARS WHICH WILL BE USED TO

PAY DOWN OUR OLD BILLS.

PART OF OUR PACKAGE HERE, BY THE

WAY, IS WE HAVE ALREADY BORROWED

MONEY FROM OUR VENDORS.

WE WOULD LIKE TO BORROW FROM

BANKS AND PAY OUR VENDORS OFF.

>> WILL THAT BE A ONE TIME $1

BILLION FEE?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

AFTER THAT, WE WILL SEE WHAT

HAPPENS WITH THE NEW REVENUES.

BUT WE HAVE VIDEO GAMING

MACHINES ALL OVER THE STATE

ALMOST AND THAT MAY HAVE CUT

DOWN ON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY,

BECAUSE WE ARE ALREADY GETTING

SOME MONEY FROM THEM.

>> I GUESS THE QUESTION THERE

IS, IS IT WORTH IT TO EXPAND

GAMBLING AND HAVE SIX NEW

CASINOS JUST FOR A ONE-TIME, $1

BILLION INFUSION OF CASH?

>> WELL THERE'S A SMALL AMOUNT

OF MONEY THAT CONTINUES TO COME

IN.

QUITE FRANKLY VIDEO GYMING HAS

HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE

CASINO BUSINESS IN THE STATE.

BUT THOSE UP-FRONT LICENSE FEES

ARE IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO BE

ABLE TO BEGIN TO PAY DOWN THOSE

BACK BILLS.

>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT

SOMETHING ELSE THAT THE GOVERNOR

PROPOSED DURING HIS CAMPAIGN AND

THAT WAS AN EXPANSION OF THE

SALES TAX TO INCLUDE SERVICES ON

EVERYTHING FROM DOG GROOMING TO

AUTO REPAIRS TO ANY NUMBER OF

OTHER THINGS.

WHATEVER HAPPENED WITH THAT?

>> WE ACTUALLY, UM, CONSIDERED

THAT AND WE MAY GO BACK TO IT

YET.

I MEAN IT'S AN INTERESTING IDEA.

FRANKLY IT'S EASIER SAID THAN

DONE.

WHEN YOU DECIDE WHICH SERVICES

DO YOU PICK, WHICH DO YOU LEAVE

OFF?

AND THE PUBLIC REACTION TO IT.

POLICYWISE, IT MAKES SENSE.

BUT IT IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

AND THERE MAY BE, ACCORDING TO

OUR OWN DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE,

SOME ISSUES WITH RESPECT TO

IMPLEMENTING THAT IF YOU START

BEING VERY PICKY AND CHOOSEY

ABOUT WHICH SERVICES ARE

INCLUDED AND WHICH ARE NOT.

>> IS THERE ANYWAY TO MAKE SOME

SORT OF DETERMINATION OF THAT

SORT OF THING TO SAY SERVICES OR

COMPANIES THAT MAKE A CERTAIN

AMOUNT --

>> IT'S SOMETHING WE LOOKED

INTO.

WE DON'T TAX SERVICES AS MUCH AS

OTHER STATES DO.

>> HAVE YOU LOOKED AT OTHER

MODELS?

>> WE HAVE AND IT'S, AGAIN, AS

CHRIS SAID, IT'S DIFFICULT

SOMETIMES TO IMPLEMENT THIS.

THERE'S AN ARGUMENT, THOUGH, TO

ACTUALLY BROADEN THE BASE AND

EVEN PERHAPS EVEN BE ABLE TO

LOWER THE TAX RATE WHICH WOULD

BE SOMETHING THAT WE WILL

DEFINITELY LOOK AT.

IT'S NOT IN THIS PACKAGE.

NOT SOMETHING WE CAN PUT

TOGETHER IN A WEEK.

AS A RESULT IT'S SOMETHING WE

WILL CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT.

>> THIS PENNY AN OUNCE TAX ON

SUGAR SWEETENED BEVERAGES,

RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED IN COOK

COUNTY.

I KNOW THAT THE LOBBYISTS FOR

THE INDUSTRY HAVE BEEN ALL OVER

IT HERE AND PROBABLY KNOCKING ON

DOORS IF NOT KNOCKING DOWN DOORS

IN SPRINGFIELD.

DO YOU THINK THAT IT'S GOING IT

MAKE IT --

>> WE GOT THIS IDEA FROM THE

WORKING GROUPS OF RANK AND FILE

MEMBERS THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS

BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR TWO YEARS.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT

PASSED IN COOK COUNTY, OTHER

JURISDICTIONS THAT PASSED IT.

IT'S NOT JUST THE REVENUE.

ADVOCATES SAY IT HAS TO DO WITH

HEALTH ISSUES AS WELL.

SINCE WE INTRODUCED THE BILL, I

KNOW ONE GOOD THING FOR THE

ECONOMY IS A BUNCH OF LOBBYISTS

HAVE BEEN HIRED.

SO WE WILL SEE IF IT WITHSTANDS.

>> WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THAT?

>> HERE'S WHAT I WOULD SAY TO

THOSE FOLKS.

COME UP WITH $560 MILLION TO

REPLACE IT ANNUALLY AND WE WILL

TALK TO YOU.

>> AND SO $560 MILLION ANNUALLY

--

>> THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECT.

>> THE OTHER THING THAT'S STILL

BEING AWAITED IS THIS OVERHAUL

OF PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING IN

ILLINOIS.

THERE'S BEEN A WORKING GROUP AT

IT FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW SO

FEBRUARY 1 I BELIEVE IS THE

DEADLINE FOR THEIR PROPOSAL.

ANY ANTICIPATION OF WHAT THEY

MIGHT OFFER AND AGAIN --

>> VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS

PACKAGE.

>> FINANCIAL PART OF IT.

>> VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS

PACKAGE, THE GOVERNOR HAS A

BIPARTISAN, BICAMERA COMMISSION.

WE HOPE TO HAVE THEIR

LEGISLATION THAT WE ASKED THEM

TO DEVELOP AND HAVE IT SCORED

AND READY FOR US TO GO ON

FEBRUARY 1.

WE HAVE A BILL, SENATE BILL 1,

WHICH WE WILL HOLD UNTIL THAT

LANGUAGE COMES.

HOPEFULLY WE CAN AGREE ON THEIR

RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE CAN

BECOME NOT THE WORST MOST UNFAIR

SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA IN THE

NATION AND HAVE A BIG

IMPROVEMENT, ESPECIALLY HELPING

OUT SOME OF THE POORER SCHOOL

DISTRICTS.

THIS IS SOMETHING WHICH IS VERY

IMPORTANT.

REPUBLICANS HAVE ALSO AGREED TO

THAT PENSION PARITY SO CHICAGO

SCHOOLS WILL ALSO HAVE THE STATE

PAY SOMETHING TOWARD THEIR

PENSIONS WHICH WE THINK IS FAIR.

WHEN WE PUT THOSE TOGETHER WE'LL

HAVE A BIG IMPROVEMENT IN THE

WAY WE FUND OUR SCHOOLS.

SOMETHING THE GOVERNOR HAS

MENTIONED AS WELL.

>> AND YOUR MEMBERS ARE ON BOARD

WITH PENSION PARITY?

>> OUR OBJECTION WAS THAT

CHICAGO HAD ACCESS TO MONEY THAT

OTHERS DIDN'T HAVE.

THIS SCHOOL FUNDING COMMISSION

WHICH HAS BEEN MEETING AT LEAST

TWICE A WEEK AND SPENDING LOTS

AND LOTS OF TIME ON IT IS TRYING

TO GET TO A FARM YOU LA THAT IS

FAIR ACROSS THE BOARD IN WHICH

CASE THEN PENSION PARITY MAKES

SENSE.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF ONE

OF THOSE TRADEOFFS.

WE WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF IT

PENDING THE SCHOOL REFORM.

>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT A

PROPOSAL THAT'S CERTAINLY

CONTROVERSIAL BUT COULD BRING IN

QUITE A BIT OF MONEY.

YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHAT IT IS.

LEGALIZING MARIJUANA.

ANY THOUGHTS?

>> SHOULD HAVE THOSE PEOPLE TALK

TO THE SODA POP PEOPLE AND MAYBE

THEY CAN COME UP WITH A PACKAGE.

>> THEY MIGHT HAVE QUITE A PARTY

DOWN THERE IN SPRINGFIELD.

HAS THAT ALL BEEN THOUGHT ABOUT

IN SPRINGFIELD?

>> IT HASN'T COME UP RECENTLY.

I THINK IT'S A TYPE OF A THING

LONG TERM, WE HAVE JUST PASSED

MARIJUANA USE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE

REALLY ILL.

AND THAT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED.

>> BUT NOT QUITE SUSTAINABLE

BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE

THAT ARE REALLY TAKING PART IN

THAT IS VERY SMALL.

>> I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST

ISSUES THAT I PERSONALLY HAVE

WITH IT IS IT'S IN CONFLICT WITH

FEDERAL LAW.

SO IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAKES A

DECISION ON WHERE THEY WANT TO

GO.

AT THAT POINT, THINK IT WILL

PROBABLY END UP BEING A MATTER

OF WHEN, AS OPPOSED TO IF.

>> AND YOU WILL CONSIDER IT AT

THAT TIME?

>> CORRECT.

>> SO, THE SENATE SEEMS TO BE IN

AGREEMENT HERE.

YOU SEEM TO HAVE SUPPORT AND BE

WORKING TOGETHER.

ANY WORD FROM THE HOUSE AND

SPECIFICALLY SPEAKER MADIGAN?

>> WE HAVEN'T EVEN TALKED TO THE

HOUSE YET.

WE WANT TO MICK SURE WE CAN DO

IT OURSELVES.

THIS IS HARD ENOUGH TO SEE IF WE

CAN DO IT.

IF WE DO IT, THIS IS REALLY

IMPORTANT.

PIECES OF LEGISLATION.

PEOPLE WOULD BE VOTING, NOT JUST

HAVING A PRESS CONFERENCE.

I WOULD SUGGEST IF THIS PASSES

THIS WOULD BE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA

ABOUT WHAT THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION

WOULD BE TO OUR FUNDING CRISIS.

>> BUT YOU -- SPEAKER MADIGAN ON

BOARD --

>> JUST LIKE THE HOUSE IF THEY

PASSED THE BILL NEEDS THE SENATE

ON BOARD.

BOTH CHAMBERS HAVE TO PASS THE

BILL.

>> THESE WILL BE DIFFICULT VOTES

SO AS I SAID, ONCE WE LAY OUT

WHAT'S ACTUALLY IN THERE, OUR

MEMBERS ARE BEING INUNDATED BY

PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIKE THIS

PIECE OR ANOTHER.

SO, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE

TONIGHT TO TALK WITH YOUR

LISTENERS WHO WANT TO SEE THE

STATE MOVE FORWARD, AND

ENCOURAGE THEM TO CALL THEIR

LEGISLATORS AND ENCOURAGE THEM

TO TAKE TOUGH VOTES SO THAT WE

CAN GET OUR STATE BACK ON TRACK.

>> BUT DO YOU EXPECT DECISIONS

ON THIS BY NEXT WEEK?

>> WE WILL VOTE ON THIS ON

TUESDAY AND ON WEDNESDAY AND

HOPE TO HAVE THIS PASSED WITH

THE EXCEPTION OF THE SCHOOL

FUNDING THING WHICH WILL

PROBABLY BE A WEEK LATER.

SO WE NEED TO PASS THIS.

THERE'S A PROBLEM.

ON JANUARY 1, PART OF OUR BUDGET

EXPIRED.

WE HAVE TO PASS SOMETHING IN

THIS BILL AS A FULLY FUNDED

BUDGET FOR THE REST OF THIS

FISCAL YEAR AND IT'S, THE

CLOCK'S RUNNING.

>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THE

INCOMING PRESIDENTIAL

ADMINISTRATION AND HOW THAT

MIGHT IMPACT ILLINOIS' FINANCES?

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> WELL I THINK WE ARE ALL

WAITING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS

THERE.

OBVIOUSLY DRAMATIC CHANGES COULD

HAVE AN IMPACT.

>> ESPECIALLY IN MEDICAID

FUNDING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> IF THERE IS SOME SORT OF

FLASHING OF MEDICAID FUNDING HOW

IS THAT GOING TO IMPACT.

>> WELL IT CLEARLY WOULDN'T BE

HELPFUL TO US AND WE WOULD BE

BACK AT THE DRAWING BOARD BUT I

THINK IT'S DIFFICULT TO COMMENT

UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT IS PROPOSED.

>> ARE YOU BRACING FOR ANYTHING

POSITIVE?

>> I JUST WANT IT MAKE ILLINOIS

GREAT AGAIN.

>> DO YOU HAVE CAPS FOR THAT?

>> IF WE CAN PASS THIS BILL THAT

WOULD BE A NICE FIRST START.

>> WE HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU

AGAIN SOON AFTER NEXT WEEKEND.