AS YOU KNOW BY NOW, THE JOHNSON ERA IS BEGINNING TO TAKE SHAPE AT CHICAGO CITY HALL.

IN SPRINGFIELD, THE BUSINESS WILL CONTINUE AS WELL WITH A LOT OF THINGS ON THE AGENDA OF LAWMAKERS AND THE GOVERNOR.

AMANDA VINICKY WILL BE COVERING IT ALL THIS WEEK.

AMANDA JOINS US THIS WEEK FROM SPRINGFIELD.

IT’S THE LAST WEEK OF THE SESSION, AMANDA.

WHAT HAS TO GET DONE?

>> Reporter: WELL THE SCHEDULED LEGISLATIVE SESSION ANY WAY, PARIS, AND WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE LAWMAKERS GO HOME IS THE PASSAGE OF A BUDGET.

THAT’S BECAUSE WE LEARNED DURING THE HISTORIC BUDGET IMPACT JUST HOW CRUCIAL IT IS FOR RATING AGENCIES THAT DON’T LOOK KINDLY WHEN SPRINGFIELD DOESN’T HAVE THEIR ACT TOGETHER AND IT COMES TO FISCAL PLANNING.

AND ALSO FOR THE MANY ENTITIES, VIA STATE EMPLOYEES, NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, DAYCARES, YOU NAME IT, HOSPITALS THAT ARE ALL WAITING TO HEAR HOW MUCH MONEY IS GOING TO BE COMING THEIR WAY FROM THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, SO THAT BUDGET IS REALLY THE CRUCIAL ITEM FOR PASSAGE.

>> ARE THERE ANY HURDLES THAT YOU SEE?

I MEAN THE DEMOCRATS HAVE SUPER MAJORITIES, THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR, YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THEIR BUDGET THROUGH EASILY.

WILL THAT BE THE CASE?

>> BUT OF COURSE THERE ARE HURDLES, PARIS.

FOR STARTERS, YOU ALWAYS HAVE PARTICULARLY IN TIME LIKE NOW WHEN MONEY IS RELATIVELY FLUSH, DEMANDS OUTWEIGHING THE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

AND SO YOU HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF GROUPS THAT ARE ASKING FOR MORE, MORE, MORE.

EVENTUALLY YES.

THOSE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE.

AND THAT COULD BE EVERYTHING FROM THE BIG HIGH POINT AND THE TOUCH POINT RIGHT NOW, FUNDING OF A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES MEDICAID.

AND SO HEALTHCARE REALLY, IT IS A MEDICAID STYLE TO UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS OF ILLINOIS.

YOU ALSO HAVE OTHER REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THE HEALTHCARE WITH THE AGENCIES ASKING FOR INCREASES THERE.

YOU HAVE THE GOVERNOR TALKING ABOUT HIS PROGRAMS TO FUND MORE PRE-K PROGRAMS FOR THE STUDENTS ACROSS ILLINOIS.

EDUCATION IS ALWAYS ONE.

SO THAT IS A FURTHER COMPLICATED THING.

RECENT NUMBERS, THEY DO HAVE INCLUDING A REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION ON GOVERNMENT FORECASTING AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT IS A NON-PARTISAN ENTITY RUN BY THE STATE OF ILLINOIS THAT’S SHOWING REVENUES ARE BEGINNING TO SLIP THAT BUMP WHERE WE SAW THE INCREASES IN THE REVENUE THAT’S COMING INTO THE STATE.

THAT’S BEGINNING TO GO DOWN.

SO YOU DO HAVE A FAR MORE COMPLICATED PICTURE.

>> THE NEXT FEW BUDGETS MIGHT BE VERY DIFFICULT AS WE TALKED ABOUT THE ASKS THAT WERE MADE BY MAYOR JOHNSON.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM THEM DOWN THERE ABOUT THEIR WILLINGNESS TO PLAY BALL WITH THE CITY?

>> Reporter: SO PARIS, AS YOU NOTED, MAYOR JOHNSON DID MAKE A VISIT BEFORE HIS INAUGURATION TO SPRINGFIELD.

HE TOOK PICTURES RIGHT UP HERE IN THE CHAMBERS I’M STANDING AT RIGHT NOW WITH LEGISLATORS AND JOINT ADDRESS BEFORE THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

THAT SAID, I TALKED TO FOLKS WHO SAID THEY JUST GOT A LIST OF SPECIFIC ASKS FROM THE MAYOR, WE’RE TALKING DOLLAR AMOUNTS LAST WEEK.

THAT’S PRETTY LATE.

EVEN THOUGH YES, BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS ARE STILL ONGOING WHEN YOU HAVE ASKS OF THE MAGNITUDE THAT JOHNSON HAS, FOR EXAMPLE, BETWEEN $80 AND A QUARTER BILLION DOLLARS TO HELP OUT WITH THE ASYLUM SEEKERS.

THAT’S REALLY TOUGH TO WORK INTO THE BUDGET AT THIS LATE HOUR.

>> ALL RIGHT, WE KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF OTHER PRIORITIES DOWN THERE BEYOND THE BUDGET INCLUDING APPARENTLY THERE’S A NEW PROPOSAL FOR THE BEARS.

WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET MORE INTO THAT LATER THIS WEEK.

AMANDA, YOU’RE GOING TO BE