Rauner Says He'll Use 'Leverage' Of Money Woes To Get Pro-business Changes
From the Chicago Sun-Times
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner kicked off a campaign-style statewide tour Monday by indicating he'll try to "leverage" the state's money woes into securing a series of pro-business changes from a General Assembly controlled by Democrats likely to fiercely oppose them.
The first stop was at Tribune Tower, where the governor sought to frame up the last seven scheduled weeks of the spring session during an appearance before the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board. The governor and legislative leaders will try to craft a new budget before the May 31 adjournment deadline against the backdrop of a projected deficit of $6 billion and Rauner calling for major cuts.
"Crisis creates opportunity. Crisis creates leverage to change -- and we've got to use that leverage of the crisis to force structural change," said Rauner, borrowing from a political philosophy famously coined by his friend Rahm Emanuel that "you never want a serious crisis to go to waste."
Armed with binders containing policy proposals, talking points and news clippings, Rauner again suggested Illinois' money mess is caused by an out-of-control bureaucracy that serves the interests of unions at the expense of taxpayers and businesses. It is an argument he has taken to all corners of Illinois during a prolonged attempt to gin up support from voters before starting negotiations with a skeptical legislature.
Read more in our daily News Update...
From the Chicago Sun-Times
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner kicked off a campaign-style statewide tour Monday by indicating he'll try to "leverage" the state's money woes into securing a series of pro-business changes from a General Assembly controlled by Democrats likely to fiercely oppose them.
The first stop was at Tribune Tower, where the governor sought to frame up the last seven scheduled weeks of the spring session during an appearance before the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board. The governor and legislative leaders will try to craft a new budget before the May 31 adjournment deadline against the backdrop of a projected deficit of $6 billion and Rauner calling for major cuts.
"Crisis creates opportunity. Crisis creates leverage to change -- and we've got to use that leverage of the crisis to force structural change," said Rauner, borrowing from a political philosophy famously coined by his friend Rahm Emanuel that "you never want a serious crisis to go to waste."
Armed with binders containing policy proposals, talking points and news clippings, Rauner again suggested Illinois' money mess is caused by an out-of-control bureaucracy that serves the interests of unions at the expense of taxpayers and businesses. It is an argument he has taken to all corners of Illinois during a prolonged attempt to gin up support from voters before starting negotiations with a skeptical legislature.
Read more in our daily News Update...