Gov. Rauner voices support for higher education through a Facebook live Q&A

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Gov. Bruce Rauner gives a thumbs up after giving his first speech as governor on Monday Jan. 12, 2015 at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, Ill.

By Jessica Bursztynsky, Staff Writer

Gov. Bruce Rauner took questions from the general public in a Facebook live-stream video, one day ahead of his Feb. 15 speech when he is expected to give a budget address.

Rauner stressed the importance of finding compromise in a budget throughout the Q & A session, saying that a budget is two years overdue.

Rauner, hoping to “have the best education in any state of America,” said he is supportive of raising funds for MAP grants.  

“As we’re getting a balanced budget, we’re going to increase support for higher education,” Rauner said.

The cycle of borrowing money and high government spending is a reason for the state’s unbalanced budget, he said. 

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“This is an ongoing problem because we haven’t changed the structure of the system,” Rauner said. The new budget needs to be a compromise between political parties, he said.

“There are individuals and special interest groups on both ends of the political spectrum who don’t want to see any compromise,” Rauner said. “I am a big advocate for compromise. We’re all going to have to give in on what we would love in a perfect world.”

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