(Photo courtesy Facebook/Jason Barickman)
By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – Illinois is entering its fourth month without a state budget with no apparent end in sight.
State Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, said Springfield remains ‘paralyzed by dysfunction’ and said an agreement will likely require a compromise of revenue increases that the Democrats want with reforms that Gov. Bruce Rauner wants, but no one is budging at this point.
PODCAST: Listen to Scott and Colleen’s interview with Barickman on WJBC.
He said it will take lawmakers crossing party lines, which he said many are reluctant to do.
“That’s what it’s going to take I think, some of these rank and file (lawmakers) switching directions,” Barickman said.
He said he’s not holding his breath, likening the process of getting lawmakers to get on the same page as herding cats.
“Anyone trying to get two cats to go in the same direction is nearly impossible,” Barickman quipped. “The legislature is like that.”
Barickman added lawmakers have no reason to report to the Capitol until they can vote, though he understands it looks bad.
“The public expects us to be working around the clock on this,” Barickman said. “We can go to Springfield, but unless there’s an agreement, we are just wasting time.”
Neither the House nor the Senate are due back until Oct. 20.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
