Republican lawmakers believe the possibility of action on the expiring income tax increase depends on who wins the governor’s race.

Illinois Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) says the budget passed in the spring may have been part of a strategy by Democrats to create immediate budgetary problems for a potential Bruce Rauner administration.

“My suspicion is that…it will create an even bigger hole, and I expect that’s the plan,” Radogno said. “That if it’s a Republican governor, the Democrats will attempt to disadvantage him as much as possible.”

Gov. Pat Quinn had wanted the increase to be made permanent, but that proposal didn’t gain traction in the spring session. The budget that was passed was described as “incomplete” by several lawmakers, with some estimating that more than $4 billion in spending would have to be cut unless new revenue was put into place in 2015.

Quinn has said he wants legislators to re-visit the tax increase when they reconvene after New Year’s Day, but before new lawmakers take their seats in January, which is the same “lame duck” period during which the increase was passed in 2011.

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