For days, Gov. Bruce Rauner has said he hopes the General Assembly can reach a "grand compromise" on a budget and reform measures by the end of May.

 

He’s pinning those hopes on groups of rank-and-file lawmakers who have been meeting to hash out details of a spending plan for the rest of this fiscal year and the new one that starts July 1, as well as trying to reach agreement on part of the Republican governor's pro-business reform agenda.

 

“I’m hearing favorable reports from various members of the General Assembly that there are productive negotiations going on among different legislators in both parties about reforms we can get together,” Rauner said at a Springfield event last week. “I’m cautiously optimistic that some progress is being made. The idea is to use this window of opportunity between now and May 31 to get a grand compromise, get reforms, get a truly balanced budget.”

 

Some members who have been involved in those discussions agreed with Rauner that progress is being made, but cautioned not to get too carried away just yet.

 

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