Barickman: Madigan needs to take meaningful budget step

Posted on June 27, 2017

State Sen. Jason Barickman hopes House Speaker Michael Madigan will change and meaningfully work toward a budget compromise. (Photo courtesy Facebook/Jason Barickman)

By Cynthia Grau

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois legislators are a little more than halfway through a 10-day special session in an attempt to get a state budget, and Senator Jason Barickman said he is optimistic, though there is one wild card.

The person Barickman sees standing in the way is House Speaker Michael Madigan, who holds the cards on what, if anything, is decided.

“We need Mike Madigan to get engaged,” the Bloomington Republican said. “We need him to do something that he historically has been unwilling to do, which is use his tremendous power and influence to help our state find a common ground in this divided government we have and take a meaningful step forward by producing a balanced budget and restoring faith that the people need to have that our government is working for them and not for special interests.”

This special session is scheduled to end Friday.

Cynthia Grau can be reached at [email protected].

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