After going over two years without a budget, Illinois finally secured a fiscal plan after state legislators overrode Governor Bruce Rauner’s veto of the plan and passed the budget through state legislation.

In a news release, State Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston) praised the bipartisan support of the budget and the ability of legislators to “follow their consciences, instead of their leaders.” He said the focus was now on fixing long-term problems such as getting the Illinois economy moving, protecting health care and making the rich pay their fair share.

“What happened now, passing any budget at all, would not have taken place without people across the state rising up and pushing their legislators—on both sides of the aisle, by the way—to stand up to their leaders and do what’s right,” Biss said in a video posted to his Facebook page.

Ald. Ameya Pawar of Chicago (47th) praised the balanced bipartisan budget in a news release for putting Illinois on “a steady fiscal path.” He said the override of Rauner’s veto was evidence there are still legislators willing to prioritize Illinois citizens.

Both Pawar and Biss announced gubernatorial bids earlier this year.

“This episode is just another reminder that when we elect people like Bruce Rauner, who hate the institutions they seek to represent, they will try to destroy it once in office. We need to stop electing people who hate government more than they love their city, their state and their country,” Pawar said in his release.

Rauner, on the other hand, saw the override as having an overall negative impact on the state. He said in a news release that the tax increase will “force another tax hike in the near future.”

The budget will raise the personal income tax in Illinois from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent, an increase of 32 percent.

“Today was another step in Illinois’ never-ending tragic trail of tax hikes,” Rauner said in the release. “Speaker (Mike) Madigan’s … tax-and-spend plan is not balanced, does not cut enough spending or pay down enough debt, and does not help grow jobs or restore confidence in government.”

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