The state of the state: Reps want your input, good or bad

During a cute little scene in Disney's classic animated tale "Bambi," the little rabbit Thumper repeats a timeless lesson from his mom: "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

Sometimes, I have listened to that advice.

Many times I have not - but it was not without good reason.

I write this because State Rep. Keith Farnham will host a town meeting on April 6 and State Sen. Michael Noland his meeting on April 8.

Both meetings are the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., and begin at 7 p.m.

These two lawmakers want your input.

And guess what?

I would be shocked if it was nice.

Because really, what nice things are there to say about the state of our state?

That we're the Land of Lincoln?

Chicago has great dining and shopping, if you can afford the parking and sales taxes?

That spring is here and summer is just around the corner?

That the Chicago Cubs might win this year?

Let's face it, our state is a colossal, pathetic and epic mess.

There's a huge deficit in the tens of billions.

We pay the highest gas prices in the nation and our roads are terrible.

And don't even get me started on those red light cameras.

We have one former governor currently in prison and another who could be on the way soon.

Property taxes keep going up but no one will buy your home for what the assessor claims it's worth.

In Elgin, unemployment is around 12 percent.

And politicians want to increase our income taxes.

It's common to see workers laid off to improve profit margins or cut costs.

But school teachers and state police?

All because the state can't pay its bills?

I wonder if the 1,037 laid off in Elgin Area School District U-46 have nice things to say.

Lawmakers do. They will inevitably point to their recent efforts to reform pensions.

But this is for future state employees, not all the patronage workers on the payroll right now that will siphon your wallet dry for decades to come.

I give Democrats Farnham and Noland credit for reaching out to the people.

But instead of a handshake in return, residents should be shaking an angry, clenched fist in the air.

Same for their Republican challengers in the Nov. 2 election. Ruth Munson and Steve Rauschenberger also served time in Springfield.

Solutions are needed. Change needs to happen.

Lawmakers need to clean up this budget mess before Illinois sinks further into the abyss.

The future is looking pretty bleak for a lot of people.

Next week is your chance to say something.

You don't have to wait til Nov. 2.

You can do it next week.

And if it's not nice, neither I nor Thumper will blame you.