Rauner's State Of The State Vow: A Balanced Budget
CHICAGO (CBS) -- In his fourth State of the State address, Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday covered a wide variety of topics, but emphasized the need to ignite Illinois' economy.
Rauner called the state's property taxes a vicious form of oppression. "The system traps people in their homes, vaporizes their equity, drives mortgages under water, and in some cases, pushes people out of our state. It is time to put a stop to the corruption."
School funding reforms were among the governor's highlighted accomplishments. "We enacted historic reforms to end one of the most inequitable school funding formulas in the country. Rauner said. "For most districts it will be a welcome and long overdue infusion of new money for their programs. Now, need dictates resources, not zip codes."
He also spoke of the need to regain public confidence. "80 percent of the state's voters want term limits. The other 20 percent, it seems, are seated in this chamber and in elected Illinois courts. It is past time to make this good governance move. Put term limits on the ballot and let the people decide."
LISTEN: Leaders of the Illinois House react to Rauner's speech:
The governor earned his biggest applause of the day when he vowed to submit a balanced budget proposal next month. "It is time we do what the people of Illinois want. Halt the advance of taxes. Stop spending money we don't have. Get our pensions under control. And give power back to the people of Illinois."
Rauner's address is six weeks away from the March primary, where he'll face Rep. Jeanne Ives and six other Democratic challengers.