Springfield…. Representative Dave Severin (R-Benton) signed a letter with 39 of his Republican colleagues requesting that the Attorney General use her power to force the General Assembly to pass a revenue estimate. A revenue estimate establishes how much the government expects to bring in over the next fiscal year. Using this estimate the General Assembly plans how much it can expect to spend for the next fiscal year. The Illinois Constitution requires the General Assembly to agree on an estimate as the basis for determining a budget.
Representative Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego) penned the letter, calling for the Attorney General to step in. Rep. Severin says it is about time the AG forced the General Assembly to comply with the Constitution.
“It’s common sense that the state shouldn’t spend what we don’t have,” said Severin. “Yet without a revenue estimate, we do not even know how we can expect to be able to spend for the coming year. The majority party has failed in taking the first step toward achieving a balanced budget, and as a result we would like the Attorney General to step in and force their hand.”
As of Friday, only 12 days remain until the May 31 deadline to pass a budget for Fiscal Year 2018. The past two weeks the House of Representatives have spent less than 6 hours in session.
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