Durkin on Quinn Budget Address: 'Harsh Reality of Failure' on Pensions

Assistant Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-82) issued a statement on Wednesday in response to Gov. Pat Quinn's 2014 budget address in which the governor chastized the legislature for failing to reform the state's underfunded public pensions system

In a bit of bipartisan agreement, Durkin's statement echoed Quinn in pushing the need for pension reform:

“The Governor’s Address is a harsh reality of failure to pass meaningful reforms in Illinois. A solution to the pension problem should have been wrapped up, sealed and sent to the governor last month.

"We should have passed a comprehensive pension reform bill passed before today. There is nothing more important to the state’s fiscal integrity than meaningful pension reform, however the [D]emocratic leadership running the legislature thinks otherwise.

"Until we pass meaning pension reform for the state of Illinois we will undoubtedly be forced to cut services to Illinoisans, issue pink slips to state employees and force state vendors to lay off their employees or even worse – close down their businesses.”