SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — House Speaker Michael Madigan says he doesn’t have the votes to extend Illinois’ income tax increase and is moving forward with a budget that doesn’t rely on it.

The Chicago Democrat met with the House Democratic caucus late Wednesday. He says 34 members said they’d vote to make the temporary tax hike permanent. It takes 60 House votes for approval.

Madigan says “the clock is ticking” and lawmakers are getting closer to the May 31 adjournment.

The House last week approved a $37.1 billion 2015 budget that depended on the tax hike.

But with that funding level unlikely, Madigan says he’s instructed legislators to draft a budget based on revenue of about $34.5 billion.
Madigan says lawmakers may see that budget and be swayed to vote for the tax increase.

(Copyright 2014 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)