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Two Illinois Budget Frameworks Released

Flickr user Pictures of Money / "Money" (CC BY 2.0)

There's no budget deal on the immediate horizon in Illinois, which is set to round out a fifth month without any budget in place. However, two frameworks have just been released.

Credit Flickr user Pictures of Money / "Money" (CC BY 2.0)

The drafters hope they'll stimulate movement. 

State Sen. Karen McConnaughay, R-St. Charles, says frustration with the gridlock got her talking months ago with a handful of other rank-and-file legislators from both sides of the aisle and from both chambers of the General Assembly. 

The talks weren't sanctioned by party leaders. She says what they came up with wasn't a package; rather, it's more like a menu of options. 

"Almost like a group of people sitting around with a blackboard," McConnaughay said.

The group's list of ideas features everything from tax hikes to elements of Gov. Bruce Rauner's so-called Turnaround Agenda. 

Republicans walked away from talks more than a month ago. But the list has now been leaked. 

At the same time, the political operative who runs a new group called IllinoisGO also released a similar, wide-ranging suggested compromise, which has been described as a "mega deal."

The group's founder, operative Greg Goldner, told Crain's he's offered the plan to get Democrats and Republicans talking again. He says IllinoisGO will let the document speak for itself.

However ... it doesn't appear the plan was actually presented to all of the legislative leaders.

The governor's office declined to comment.

It's unclear whether either plan will go any further.

Copyright 2015 WNIJ Northern Public Radio

Amanda Vinicky
Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.