SPRINGFIELD – While Gov. Bruce Rauner took to TV news this evening to deflect blame for the state budget stalemate, Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) noted that the Senate passed the governor’s balanced budget and his requested reforms in May – all of which await approval in the House.

“I didn’t hear much from the governor this evening that I haven’t heard before. I think that when all was said and done, this address of his was little more than an opportunity for him to get free, unchallenged time on the evening news all over Illinois,” Harmon said.

“Now that this ‘unity’ address is out of the way, I invite Gov. Rauner to take up the balanced budget and reforms – his balanced budget and reforms – that the Senate passed and sent to the House. This is the appropriate starting point for budget negotiations during the next 10 days and the most efficient way to get us to a resolution.”