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Friday, April 19, 2024

Departing from majority, Morrison voted no on budget critics say is filled with ‘gimmicks’

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State Rep. Thomas Morrison voted no on the state budget.

State Rep. Thomas Morrison voted no on the state budget.

State Rep. Thomas Morrison was one of just 20 Illinois House and Senate members to oppose a “smoke and mirrors” budget plan that isn’t really balanced, according to the Illinois Policy Institute.

Gov. Bruce Rauner approved a state budget that includes spending $38.5 billion and borrowing an estimated $11.5 billion over the next year. 

“To make the budget appear balanced on paper, lawmakers are relying on a number of common budgetary gimmicks that don’t actually lead to balance,” wrote Adam Schuster, director of Budget and Tax Research at the Illinois Policy Institute. “These gimmicks account for the fact that despite a constitutional balanced budget requirement, Illinois has not had a truly balanced budget since at least 2001.”


State Sen. Tom Rooney

The General Assembly approved the plan last week, with just 18 Republicans and two Democrats voting against, and 177 legislators voting in support.

How North Suburbs legislators voted

LegislatorVote
Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie)Yes
Rep. Laura Fine (D-Glenview)Yes
Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston)Yes
Rep. Robert F. Martwick, Jr (D-Norridge)Yes
Rep. Fred Crespo (D-Hoffman Estates)Yes
Rep. Patricia R. Bellock (R-Hinsdale)Yes
Rep. David Harris (R-Mount Prospect)Yes
Rep. Thomas Morrison (R-Palatine)No
Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines)Yes
Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston)Yes
Sen. Tom Rooney (R-Rolling Meadows)Yes
Sen. Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines)Yes
Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield)Yes
Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan)Yes
Source: Illinois General Assembly

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