State budget impasse must be resolved

Recently I joined with my colleagues in the state Senate to pass a plan for ending the bitter budget debate that has plagued Springfield for the better part of a year now. Under our proposal, an amendment to HB3860, the state would close the gap in this year's budget by drawing on a pool of special funds held by the state treasury. No services or programs funded by these funds will be affected.

History is on our side. A similar fund transfer was approved with bipartisan support in Fiscal Year 2005. By the following fiscal year, these special funds had replenished themselves and grown by an additional $500 million. We should be breathing a collective sigh of relief.

Instead, members of the Illinois House of Representatives criticize our efforts in the Senate. This, even after we included more than $40 million for House Democratic initiatives -- money they said must be included before they would participate in further budget talks.

Now I recognize I'm fairly new to Springfield. Like you, I still view what we do here through the eyes of a regular citizen and taxpayer of this state. And like you, I've been appalled by the ongoing battle of egos that has brought the business of the people to a grinding halt.

Let it be known, we have the means to resolve our budget crisis without continued hostility, raising your taxes or pandering to the governor with costly corporate tax hikes and a massive health-care expansion at this time.

HB3860 now awaits approval in the Illinois House of Representatives. It resolves issues lingering from Fiscal Year 2008 while allowing Fiscal Year 2009 negotiations to begin now in earnest.

Please contact your state representative and ask that this be done.

Michael Noland

Elgin

22nd Senate District