House Votes to Override Governor's Vetoes on Tax Hike, Budget; Reis and Cavaletto Vote to Support the Vetoes

The Illinois House has voted to override Gov. Bruce Rauner's vetoes of a budget package. The action Thursday gives Illinois its first annual spending plan since 2015.

The House voted to override the Republican governor's veto of a $5 billion increase in income taxes and a $36 billion spending plan.

The veto overrides mean the nation's longest state budget crisis since at least the Great Depression has ended. The budget is retroactive to July 1 — the start of the fiscal year. That's also the date that the 32 percent increase in the personal income tax rate takes effect.

Rauner vetoed the measures because he sees no indication that the Democratic-controlled Legislature will send him the "structural" changes he has demanded.

The votes were delayed when the Capitol was placed on lockdown status after a white powdery substance was thrown at the Governor's office. A woman was taken into custody in connection with the incident.

Locally, St. Reps. David Reis of Ste. Marie and John Cavaletto of Salem voted to uphold the Governor's vetoes. Each had voted earlier in the week to pass the budget and the tax increase, but each said they heard in the past couple of days from constituents opposing any more taxes, so they each voted in favor of the governor's vetoes.