Sen. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) insists he remains optimistic about the prospect of a Grand Bargain compromise that would end the state’s nearly two-year drought of no budget.
Speaking recently with WJPF radio host Dan Miller, the newly elected Republican lawmaker intimated his caucus has been working around the clock in hopes of being able to broker a deal centered around a package of bills crafted by Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) and Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont).
“We’re optimistic we will get things in order,” Fowler said in the March 6 talk with Miller. “Right now, we’re finishing up trying to compromise with the numbers. I’m anxious to see what we can do to get our state back in order.”
Through it all, Fowler insists his primary focus remains making sure that any agreement has the principles to end in a balanced budget. “That’s the first order of business,” he said. “Then, we can talk about everything else.”
Thus far, the Senate has approved several of the less controversial portions of the so-called 12-bill Grand Bargain, including a spending bill that would fund state social service agencies and public colleges through June and the authorization of six new casinos spread across the state.
For the Grand Bargain to become law, all aspects of the proposal have to pass, and Fowler acknowledged that with an unlikely mix of tax hikes and property tax freezes prominently featured in the measure, much work remains before all can come to agree on a finished product.
“I’m not ready to put a strain on taxpayers, so I’m not going to vote for any legislation that’s going to increase taxes,” Fowler said.
Gov. Bruce Rauner, during his Feb. 15 budget address, insisted he’s open to raising the income tax and expanding the state's sales tax, but only if the two-year property tax freeze being proposed is permanently enacted.
Rauner also ruled out any new taxes on food, medicine or retirement income.
Since then, tensions have only risen, with some even hinting that the alliance formed by Cullerton and Radogno has began to show signs of stress and strain.
“It’s been somewhat strained,” Fowler told Miller. “It started with such low hanging fruit just kind of dangling out there.”
But with the state struggling and suffering as it has for the last 20 months with no budget in place, Fowler sounded like a man not sure about how much longer things can stay at status quo levels.
“These are unprecedented times that we’re in,” Fowler said. “Difficult decisions have to be made. We have to stay at the board until we get this worked out. I hope and pray we can get out of here ... with some good accomplishments for the state.”
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