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Illinois Comptroller Says Lack of State Budget Has Dire Consequences

 width=In a news conference this (Wed) morning, Illinois Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger announced that the Illinois General Assembly's failure to reach a budget agreement with Governor Rauner by July First will reap severe consequences for residents and organizations throughout the state.

Munger told reporters that legislators and the Governor should be reminded that this isn't a game to be won or lost.

Regardless of budget negotiations, the Comptroller will be able to continue making payments authorized under the current fiscal year, FY15, budget - including the state's existing $5 billion backlog.

However, when the FY15 bills are paid, Munger says she will not have appropriation authority to make new payments that fall under the new fiscal year, FY16, which begins July 1. Ramifications include:

--New Medicaid provider payments will stop
--Nonprofits and small employers will be unable to receive expedited payments
--State employees will start missing paychecks July 15
--General State Aid payments to schools will not be delivered as scheduled on August 10
-- and new payments to state vendors will stop

Munger added that continuing appropriations and other legal provisions will allow her to meet some FY16 obligations, including the following payments: debt, pension, retiree benefits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Assistance for the Aged, Blind and Disabled, and most local government payments.

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