West Central Reporter

House Speaker Mike Madigan once said under his leadership the house would be in continuous session and meet every Wednesday.

However, he has canceled the last few sessions -- including the one set for June 21, which he claimed could not happen because legislative working groups were meeting to talk about a full budget deal.

"Madigan is hiding behind the working groups because he is afraid that rank-and-file Democrats actually want to compromise and work with their Republican colleagues," Illinois Republican Party spokesman Steven Yaffe said. "If Madigan were interested in getting a deal done before the election, he would call legislators back to session immediately. Instead, he has decided that holding school children, government operations and prisons hostage is OK if it means he can force a massive tax increase and a bailout of CPS with no reform. Madigan has driven Illinois into the ground for three decades - it appears he is content to do that for yet another year.”

Gov. Bruce Rauner said continued cancellations would have negative impacts in many areas.

"There is a risk that our schools don’t open, there is a risk that our essential government services aren’t provided, there is a risk that road construction has to come to a halt, there is a risk that essential human services are shut down," he said.

Rauner urged the legislature to at least pass a temporary budget, approve school funding and keep the state running even if it can't get a final budget done now.