Gov. Bruce Rauner sought Wednesday to ramp up pressure on majority Democrats over Illinois' unprecedented budget stalemate, repeating calls for lawmakers to work with him to pass legislation he says would save businesses and taxpayers money or approve a tax hike without his support.

 

"Time's up," the Republican said during a speech before a business group in suburban Chicago. "The longer the legislature takes, the more people will suffer, the bigger the deficit will grow."

 

They were the most high-profile remarks in weeks from the first-year governor, who has remained largely out of the public eye as Illinois entered its fourth month without a spending plan. But the day's events seemed only to emphasize how entrenched both sides remain, with several lawmakers now openly speculating that the standoff will last well into 2016.

 

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