Legislators, governor, start talking now
In less than two weeks' time, the Illinois General Assembly's spring session is supposed to close.
May 29th is the scheduled conclusion.
It's not happening.
By June 1, Democrats will have to have Republican votes to pass a budget.
Yet, there's no hint of any movement toward even setting up a meeting among the Democrats who control state government.
No hint that House Speaker Michael J. Madigan or Senate President Emil Jones or Gov. Rod Blagojevich ever even speak to one another.
And they wonder why so many voters want recall power and are outraged by talk of pay raises? We see little more than hot air coming out of the Capitol.
Illinois needs a state budget. The Associated Press reported a recent audit found more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments were being carried over into the next fiscal year to try to balance the books in this one.
Illinois also desperately needs a construction program. Blagojevich lined up former House Speaker Dennis Hastert and former Congressman Glenn Poshard to help build support and consensus for a construction program, but we see little evidence of either.
The governor suggested selling off the rights to state lottery sales to fund a $25 billion construction program. How about cutting spending and reprioritizing like so many families and businesses in Illinois have been forced to do in recent months? And then -- only after combing every budget for every dollar that can be saved -- looking at raising revenue? How about raising the cost of lottery tickets or raising fees on vehicles, vehicle titles or alcohol? How about some kind of minimum gambling expansion?
How about committing to coming up with a budget or construction program that has no pork? Or a capital improvement program tied to criteria based on highest need?
Someone start talking about something. Now.
A recent auditors' report noted 1,700 bridges were overdue for inspection, some for more than a year, and many already had been found to be "structurally deficient."
After this past crazy winter, many, many of our roads are in pathetic shape. A construction plan would put many Illinoisans to work who need it and save the rest of us from repeatedly having to spend money on costly car repairs.
As state Rep. Suzanne Bassi, a Rolling Meadows Republican, put it: "We have bridges in worse shape in Illinois than the one that caved in in Minnesota. So not to be addressing that is absolutely criminal."
We could not agree more.
We understand there is no trust and little love or respect among Blagojevich and the four legislative leaders.
But gentlemen, we don't care. This is serious business. There is no question lives and jobs are at stake. Maybe even yours.
You were elected to lead. Please. Quit posturing, step up, get in a room and start leading.