Senate Democrats continued to play party politics with the budget impasse, muscling through Senate Bill 2046, which they said would pay for human services, municipalities, and lottery winners. Senate Republican lawmakers argued appropriating money in this fashion is short-sighted and unrealistic, considering Illinois’ spending is far outpacing available revenues. They noted that without a balanced budget package, measures like Senate Bill 2046 amount to little more than a false promise.
Republican legislators continued to urge a comprehensive, balanced budget, not the piecemeal measures Democrat lawmakers continue to push. In fact, during debate the Democrat sponsor of Senate Bill 2046 admitted that this is “no way to run the ship.”