Governor Bruce Rauner remains optimistic a balanced budget agreement will come in sooner than later.
During a Facebook live stream Tuesday, Rauner addressed the inevitable question about when Illinois will have a full year's budget.
The first-term republican says he thinks the budget agreement will come in the lame duck session after the November election.
"That's when the toughest votes, that's when the big decisions tend to get made. I'm cautiously optimistic we can get it done."
The state has operated without a full year's budget the past two fiscal years.
A stopgap spending plan is designed to get the state through the election.
Rauner was also asked why he's pushing so hard for term limits when they wouldn't take effect right away.
The governor says he believes term limits will create a more responsive General Assembly.
"If the people of Illinois, if each of you stand and ask your reps and your senators for this election in November, to put term limits on the ballot, we can put pressure to get them to put it on the ballot. Then, that'll change the culture super-fast. I'm a big believer term limits will change the culture in Illinois faster than anything else that we do and get democracy working for you again."
Rauner says Illinois politics needs new ideas and faces.
He says that's also why he's backing a redistricting measure because changing how Illinois draws its political boundaries will cut down on career politicians in both parties.
Governor Bruce Rauner is announcing a new commission to get ready for the state's bicentennial celebration.
The commission will include representatives from the legislature, constitutional offices and the mayors of Chicago and Springfield to help come up with a plan for celebrating Illinois' 200th birthday.
Governor Rauner says there is also a website where the public is invited to offer their suggestions. That website is: Illinois200.com.
The Governor Tuesday also announced the hiring of Stuart Layne to serve as the Illinois Bicentennial Executive Director. Rauner says Layne brings decades of experience in strategic marketing and communications, with expertise in research, branding, publicity, events and sponsor partnerships.
