For the first time since 2015, Illinois will have a budget

[Virginiá]

Largest tax increase in Illinois history, common sense, sure....  perhaps to a tax and spend liberal!

As opposed to a borrow and spend conservative?

Yes honestly at this point the term 'tax and spend' doesn't even bother me anymore. It at least reminds me that the people saying that support the party whose fiscal policy since Reagan amounts to basically a dine-and-dash scheme. Sit around eating everything in the place, say you're going to the bathroom then dip out the back while your friend gets stuck with the bill. Then when that friend wants to eat food the next day, accuse them of eating too much last time and that they need to cut down on food consumption.

Simply put: Republican lawmakers have become so anti-tax that they just run up debt instead and blame the "others," all because they are too afraid to level with their voters about the reality they live in.

[Virginiá]

They did nothing for the pensions problem?  They deserve everything that happened to them and will happen to them....sadly the rest of us will end up with the bill.

As I understand it, they have to amend the state constitution to change pensions in the way they need. That means voters have to approve something that will likely not be popular at all. For that reason, it may not even be possible.

Shame on the politicians who promised more they could pay and for years just kicked the can down the road.

[Virginiá]

which is what they just did again.

Well I suppose you could say that, but personally I consider it mostly the fault of those who created the pensions that have become gigantic problems in the first place (or those who screwed them up after?), along with select other people who have knowingly perpetuated the problem despite being in positions to help get it fixed. I'm sure there are a lot of lawmakers in IL who would like to fix the problem but lack the means to do so, especially with folks like Madigan and Rauner. I'll know when to really start judging people when I see an amendment come up for a vote and see who votes against it, assuming it is reasonable.