A look at Illinois' budget mess as lawmakers head to Capitol

CHICAGO (AP) — Already holding the title for longest state budget stalemate, Illinois is poised to enter a third year without a spending plan as the feud between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrats controlling the Legislature drags on.

Illinois' already worst-in-the-nation credit rating has already sunk even further, with ratings agencies threatening a downgrade to "junk" status without a budget.

The venture capitalist holding public office for the first time has pushed for pro-business measures in conjunction with a budget that includes a tax increase.

Whether there's a budget or not, Illinois is automatically spending billions more each year than the state is taking in, because of state laws, court orders and agreements, and because legislators haven't passed a spending plan that takes into account the rollback of a temporary income tax increase.

In 2015, Rauner vetoed everything in the budget Democrats sent him except a K-12 education bill and last year lawmakers approved a temporary "stop-gap" plan allowing schools to open on time.

In 22 states, failure to pass a budget will lead to a government shutdown, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In California, state legislators and other statewide elected officers don't get a paycheck if they fail to send the governor a budget by June 15.

The organizations that contract with the state to run homeless shelters, care for elderly and help domestic violence victims wait six months or more to get paid.

The Senate adopted a $37.3 billion plan with cuts and an income tax increase.

After the session ended, Republicans presented their own "compromise" budget and reform package, agreeing to a temporary income tax increase for other measures including a property tax freeze.