15 ABSURD FACTS ABOUT THE 2015 ILLINOIS BUDGET

Yes, there was no vote to raise taxes, making the 5 percent rate permanent. That will make for easier re-election campaigns for supermajority Democrats. Yes, the $100 million in taxpayer funds House Speaker Michael Madigan had proposed to sweeten the bid for an Obama Presidential Library never was approved.

But, back to absurdity and hypocrisy. Here are the facts to remember:

1. The state is more than $5 billion behind in paying its bills.
2. It has the worst credit rating of any state.
3. It has the worst unfunded pension liability of any state.
4. There was not enough support for raising taxes, nor was their enough support for a doomsday budget. Still, lawmakers approved a $35.7 billion budget.
5. Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton acknowledge that this budget borrows $650 million from special funds that will drive up the bills taxpayers ultimately must fund.
6. This budget postpones paying $380 million state worker health insurance bills that taxpayers ultimately must fund.
7. This budget diverts $650 million in funds that had been going to pay down unpaid bills that taxpayers ultimately must fund.
8. Yet, lawmakers voted to start paying themselves again for 12 furlough days they had been taking. In other words, they boosted their own pay by $3,100 to $67,836 per lawmaker. Most actually are paid closer to $78,000 for their part-time jobs because most of them get another $10,000 for committee chairmanships.
9. In the spending plans approved before politicians adjourned was $10 million to renovate the Uptown Theatre in Chicago.
10. There was $35 million to build a grade school in Madigan’s district.
11. There was $500,000 for a car racetrack near St. Louis.
12. There is a bill that could allow Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to raise cell phone taxes by $1.40 per month.
13. The budget includes $50 million in funds for Chicago Public Schools pensions and another $50 million in back pay owed state workers.
14. There’s money authorized, according to the Chicago Tribune, for more Capitol renovations, for the Glen Ellyn Park District, a Puerto Rican Cultural Center, a Little League in Blue Island, windows for a Chicago church and more.
15. Both Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and Republican nominee Bruce Rauner already are using the budget crisis to try to raise campaign funds and support. Quinn wanted a permanent tax increase. Rauner has refused to provide details for how he would solve the crisis.

And how are we, the taxpayers, going to pay for all of this spending and borrowing and postponing of bill paying? “While a vote on our tax rates has been deferred, rising costs and pressures will force the issue at a later date,” Cullerton said.

Yes, absurdity and hypocrisy in the 2015 Illinois budget knows few bounds. And we, the taxpayers, will get the bills.

NEXT ARTICLE: $12.3 million in Illinois Medicaid payments for dead people, audit finds

1. Only in Illinois: Meet the new chairman of the Illinois Republican Party
2. An Illinois budget, no tax increase and a creaking political limb
3. Charting each state’s unfunded public pension liabilities
4. No salary streamlining for superintendents at Cook County school districts
5. Stop increased spending and permanent tax increase

Madeleine Doubek is Reboot’s chief operating officer. She previously managed the Daily Herald newsroom. An award-winning journalist, Doubek served as the Daily Herald’s political writer and editor and led the paper’s project and investigative work. She believes in more of us taking charge of our state government. Read Doubek’s personal take on why she’s rebooting. You can find Reboot on Facebook  and on Twitter @rebootillinois.