Little wonder that Illinoisans are upset

In the Illinois state capital, the notion that change will come in 2008 was just soundly rejected on the floor of the Senate. The state is in its fifth year of Democrat control of the legislature and governor's office. On their watch, the state is broken and state government is in disarray.

Yet this past week, Illinois Senate Democrats ignored the budget-deficit of their own making and again demonstrated their commitment to borrow, tax and spend.

In lockstep with Rod Blagojevich, Democrats advanced a three-part plan to raid more than a half-billion dollars from special state funds, expand taxpayer-subsidized health care and spend another $678 million in the current fiscal year.

Republican members of the Senate vehemently opposed the plan to give Blagojevich new extraordinary power to unilaterally raid $530 million from the special state funds which pay for highway repairs, retired teachers' health insurance, open space grants and downstate public transportation.

At a time when the state owes a record $2 billion in unpaid bills, Senate Republicans opposed spending another $300 million a year to expand the taxpayer-subsidized Medicaid plans to cover those who earn more than $85,000 per year.

We voted "no" when the Senate Democrats nearly doubled the budget hole for the current fiscal year with pork barrel spending and pet projects that cost taxpayers another $678 million.

Despite their spending frenzy, this Democrat-controlled government ignores the potholes, cuts funds for critical agriculture and conservation programs, threatens schools, underfunds colleges and universities, racks up unpaid bills and jeopardizes our state's economy.

It is no wonder Illinois taxpayers are fed up with Gov. Blagojevich and his allies in the legislature.

Frank Watson

State Senate Republican Leader

Springfield