Budget highlights need for change

I was in Springfield recently to witness firsthand the folly that is our state's annual budgeting process, and although I was prepared to be disappointed, it's actually far worse than I had thought.

You'd think that with our state on financial life support, few options to raise any revenues and unemployment at a modern-day high that the cumulative intellect and experience of the elected majority would be engaged to help formulate a solution. No. Democrat House members passed another budget that spends $1 billion more than last year and $6 billion more than it will take in. There is absolutely no discernible effort by the party in control to attract businesses or to create jobs. Instead they are driving jobs and businesses out of the state by planning to not pay $6 billion in money owed to businesses and organizations who hire and pay employees.

This is wrong on so many levels it's mind-boggling. We can blame Speaker Madigan if we want to, but we don't elect him. We have local representatives like Karen May and Carol Sente who are very nice people, but who unfortunately not only vote to elect Mike Madigan the Speaker of the House, but they also cave to his demand that they pass these irresponsible budgets without review or question.

It's time to put a stop to the madness by voting for balance in our government this fall with new faces like Dan Sugrue and Lauren Turelli who will not be automatic 'yes' votes for Speaker Madigan.

Keith Gray

Mettawa