Cullerton: Budget Deal Would Solve Worker-Pay Dispute

By Tony Arnold, Associated Press
In this Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016 photo, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, speaks to reporters outside Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office during veto session at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Ill. Rauner and legislative leaders are trying to make progress on budget talks given that the current stop-gap spending measures expires in January.
Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, speaks to reporters outside Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's office during veto session at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield in December. Seth Perlman / AP Photo
In this Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016 photo, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, speaks to reporters outside Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office during veto session at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Ill. Rauner and legislative leaders are trying to make progress on budget talks given that the current stop-gap spending measures expires in January.
Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, speaks to reporters outside Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's office during veto session at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield in December. Seth Perlman / AP Photo

Cullerton: Budget Deal Would Solve Worker-Pay Dispute

By Tony Arnold, Associated Press
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CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois Senate President John Cullerton says the way to settle the controversy over state-employee pay is to approve a state budget.

The Chicago Democrat spoke to the City Club of Chicago Monday. He urged support for a compromise budget plan that includes appropriations for worker pay.

He says the Senate will take up the package this week after failing to OK it in January.

Feuding between Legislative Democrats and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has prevented a budget agreement since July 2015.

Employees have continued to receive pay under a court order. But Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan says that’s improper and asked the court to halt payment Feb. 27 if there’s no budget.

Republicans say the move is politically motivated and designed to cause a crisis with a government shutdown.