Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner continued to rail Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan for Illinois’ budget impasse during a Statehouse news conference Tuesday.

Rauner said Democrats took a “one-month vacation” despite efforts of Republican legislators to stay in Springfield and negotiate a spending plan as the state lags through eight months with no budget.

“It’s wrong,” Rauner said. “They should get back here and do their jobs.” 

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The governor called for Democratic legislative leaders to quit passing “sham bills,” including those for higher education funding, and instead advance procurement and pension reform legislation. An estimated $1.5 billion in savings from those measures could be used to fund higher education and human services, Rauner said.

“Nobody is on vacation, so that’s a misstatement on his part,” Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said Tuesday.

Brown said he found it encouraging the governor spoke about a funding solution for higher education, which has yet to receive any state money. He added that it was embarrassing the way Rauner refused to answer questions fielded by reporters regarding dark money and personal campaign contributions in the weeks leading up to the Illinois primary.

Bill Lukitsch can be reached at [email protected] or 618-536-3329.