More than four months after Illinois' new fiscal year began, Gov Bruce Rauner and top legislative leaders appear close to a deal to sit down as a group and discuss how to finally resolve the standoff over the 2016 budget—in public even.

 

But the deal is not yet firm, with some dispute over who would set the agenda.

 

The apparent progress emerged late today when Rauner sent a letter to House Speaker Michael Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton and the ranking House and Senate Republicans, Jim Durkin and Christine Radogno. The letter (below) invited them to an open meeting on Wednesday, Nov 18, a week before Thanksgiving.

 

"Thanks to the invitation of a few advocacy groups, I understand everyone has availability" on that morning, and is "interested in a public meeting. That is excellent news," the letter states.

 

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