Statement on Unbalanced Budget Vote

SPRINGFIELD - Lance Trover, spokesman for Governor Bruce Rauner, issued the below statement following the Illinois House's partisan vote to pass another unbalanced and unconstitutional budget plan:

"Voting to spend money the state doesn't have is the cause of Illinois' financial crisis. Today, Speaker Madigan and the legislators he controls irresponsibly voted for yet another unbalanced budget plan.

"We saw today that Speaker Madigan can force 70 legislators to join him in voting for an unconstitutional budget. We also saw the Speaker's unwillingness to hold a vote on a tax increase that, absent reform, would suffer bipartisan defeat.

"The Speaker's failure to take up an accompanying revenue plan is a clear signal that rank-and-file members of the General Assembly understand that reform is necessary. It's time to end the status quo and get serious about fixing our state."