Posted by Ray Long and Michelle Manchir at 5:07 p.m.; last updated at 9:17 p.m.
SPRINGFIELD — The Democratic-led House passed legislation tonight to borrow $4 billion tonight to cover payments for the state pension system and cobble together a shaky state budget, hours after the same effort failed by one vote.
The borrowing plan was approved with the bare minimum 71 votes with the help of a couple of lame-duck Republicans who broke ranks as supporters argued borrowing now is the best of a number of bad options. Forty-four lawmakers were opposed. You can see how they voted by clicking here.
The breakthrough vote came as the Memorial Day deadline for passing a budget looms large and the visceral politics of Election Day could not be mistaken. Republicans mostly held firm against any proposal that called for borrowing, and Democrats contended it was the only way to end the spring session.
House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, said borrowing the money would cost the state $1 billion over eight years. But skipping the pension payment next year, which is also under consideration, could cost $20 billion over time because of losses in , Currie said.
"So 20-1 ratio, you tell me what’s the responsible thing to do,” Currie said.
Currie’s first attempt got 70 votes — one short of passage. The second attempt got the 71 votes needed for a three-fifths majority.
Rep. David Miller, D-Lynwood, a candidate for state comptroller, had voted against the borrowing measure on the first vote. Before the second attempt, Miller talked with House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, and huddled in Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn’s office, brushing off reporters along the way.
As he spoke during debate before the second vote, Miller said: “I do not like supporting this bill. I do not like it.”
But Miller, who had sought to raise taxes in prior years to help the state’s bleak finances, said he would vote for borrowing “because it’s the right thing to do” now.
“You’ve got to do the mature thing which is to at least get us through this crisis, no matter how bad it is," Miller told reporters after the vote.
Miller said he’s not sure how his vote will impact his run for comptroller, but said his focus today was not on his future but the people he represents now.
“At some point you have to do some soul searching about why you’re here in the first place.”
He said he was not offered anything in return for his vote by the governor.
Two Republicans who aren’t seeking re-election, Reps. Bill Black of Danville and Bob Biggins of Elmhurst, were needed to reach the 71 votes in favor of the proposal.
The House also approved a plan giving Quinn the emergency authority to make cuts within state agency budgets and transfer money to what he believes are more important needs. It also would cash in a large portion of the state’s share of the national tobacco settlement to raise $1.2 billion and allow Quinn to borrow $1 billion from specially earmarked-funds.
Despite the budget action, the state will still face a $13 billion deficit and have $6 billion in unpaid bills, according to state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, the Chicago Democrat who serves as House Speaker Michael Madigan’s top deputy.
Ever-mindful of election year concerns, the measure also incorporated some suggestions from a group of House Democrats that would cut mileage and lodging reimbursement rates for state lawmakers and require legislators and top elected officials to take 12 days without pay.
The measure also would require state agencies to review contracts to look for savings. But other suggestions, more politically sensitive, such as cutting education funding by $300 million and requiring state retirees to pay higher health-care costs were not part of the package.
The House also approved a tax amnesty proposal that would allow for people and companies owing back taxes to pay up without penalty, a move that supporters hopes would generate $250 million. The bill went to the Senate on a 102-14 vote.
Posted earlier…
SPRINGFIELD — House Democrats tonight found the votes they needed to pass a $4 billion borrowing plan to help balance the budget and cover state pension payments.
The approval came hours after the borrowing measure failed by one vote.
House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, said borrowing the money would cost $1 billion over eight years. Skipping the pension payment next year, which is also under consideration, could cost $20 billion over time, Currie said.
“So 20-1 ratio, you tell me what’s the responsible thing to do,” Currie told her colleagues.
The measure needed 71 votes to pass but received only 70 votes in favor while 46 voted against. One lawmaker, Rep. Beth Coulson, R-Glenview, voted present. You can see how lawmakers voted by clicking here.
There are 70 House Democrats, so some Republican votes were needed.
Breaking ranks from his Democratic colleagues, Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, argued against the measure, saying it was time to look at responsible cuts in spending. “We’re talking about putting a Band-Aid on a gunshot wound,” Franks said.
Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, said he could not vote against the measure, saying both Democrats and Republicans need to take responsibility.
“This is a joint mess that we’ve got ourselves in,” Black said.
Quinn wasn’t prepared to give up, and lawmakers suggested they would try again.
“Well, we’ve got more to go,” Quinn said, saying he still wanted the borrowing plan to pass soon. “We’re working. We’re not done yet.”