The Scott Walker model of tough-it-out conservatism (see previous story) may be proving most influential in a neighbouring state. The new Republican governor of next-door Illinois, Bruce Rauner, has just signed an executive order ending mandatory union fees for state workers who do not want to join a union or support its agenda. And on February 18th, as part of his $31.5 billion budget plan, Mr Rauner proposed savings of $6.7 billion in state spending on health care for the poor, pensions for public workers, local government and universities. His aim, he said, was to present a budget that "lives within our means-without raising taxes or relying on irresponsible borrowing". Illinois has overspent and borrowed recklessly for years, and is now in the biggest fiscal mess of any state in the country. It has the most underfunded retirement system of any state, amounting to $111 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, as well as the highest pension burden relative to state revenue. Its credit rating is the lowest of all the states, which means dramati- cally higher borrowing costs. "Drastic measures are needed," says Christopher Mooney of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois, Chicago, who thinks the governor's "doomsday budget" was meant to get people's attention.
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