Stopgap wasn't necessary if lawmakers worked

In his letter on the Aug. 1 Opinion page, state Rep. David Harris says that the stopgap budget was a necessary evil. I disagree. It wasn't necessary at all.

If the people we sent to Springfield had done their jobs for the last year and a half, we would have a budget and would be working on improving things.

He goes on to summarize reasons it was necessary and sums it up by saying it was necessary because the state had gone through all of F'16 without a budget and the partial spending plan was needed to keep the state from crumbling around us.

It's just another way of saying, "We sat around on our collective hands and didn't do our jobs and now the citizens of Illinois are suffering because of it."

What a shame.

He's right when he says that the partial plan didn't move us any closer to solving our long-term fiscal problems. What he didn't say is that their inability to do their job has worsened our problem and now it has become a crisis.

The can they have been kicking down the road all these years has grown up to be a barrel.

I know he is not a member of the party whose leadership has caused the problem, but he did run for office and pledged to represent the citizens of Illinois.

Frankly I don't and never have heard nearly enough from the minority. People who are afraid of the power structure that exists in Springfield shouldn't bother to run for office.

What we need in Springfield is a complete house cleaning. Get rid of all of them and replace them with people willing to work.

Ron Flowers

Elk Grove Village