Illinois Senate Overrides Governor's Vetoes of Budget, Tax Increase

The Illinois Senate voted to override Gov. Bruce Rauner's vetoes of a $36 billion budget package Tuesday, including a $5 billion tax increase designed to start digging out of the nation's longest budget crisis since at least the Great Depression.

The Democratic-controlled chamber completed its work within 30 minutes of the Republican governor's vetoes, sending the package back to the House for an override vote that would give Illinois its first annual budget since 2015.

The House did not act to override Tuesday.

Rauner acted about three hours after the Senate voted to hike the personal income tax rate by 32%, from 3.75% to 4.95%. Corporations would pay 7% instead of just over 5%.

The House okayed the tax increase with 72 votes on Sunday, one more than necessary, with the help of 15 Republicans. Whether they'll continue to defy Rauner remains to be seen. 

Rauner promised to veto the tax measure because Democrats who control the General Assembly have not agreed to resolve his reform issues, including statewide property tax relief, cost reductions in workers' compensation and benefits for state-employee pensions, and an easier process for dissolving or eliminating local governments.

Democrats and Republicans have negotiated the issues Rauner considers outstanding in the two weeks since the special session began, but the GOP claims talks broke down over the weekend in advance of Madigan calling the budget votes. Madigan said Monday that those talks were ongoing.