By Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – It’s not just roads, bridges, schools, and pensions that are making it tough for Illinois lawmakers to come to terms on a new state budget.

Legislators in Springfield are beset by social service groups and the people who they serve, who want more.

About a dozen people flocked to the Illinois Capitol late last week to make their case for more.

Maxica Williams, a client at Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, told lawmakers that she cannot make it unless they increase her Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant.

“Having a TANF grant for a family four, for me was $427 a month,” Williams said. “It was simply not enough to meet the basic needs that we had. With trying to get an apartment when I wasn’t working.”

State Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, said Williams is one of the many people in Illinois who rely on state government and who need more from state government.

“If she could, she would work. But the fact is, she can’t,” Flowers said at last week’s hearing. “She is one of thousands of other people who are out there that want to do better. But every time they take one step forward, someone or something is pushing them five steps back.”

Lawmakers also heard pleas for more dental services, more adult care programs, better pay for home care assistants, and others.

The state can’t afford it all. Last year the state spent over $40 billion. Illinois should have about $37 billion to spend on the next state budget. That doesn’t include the nearly $1 billion that lawmakers say they must find by June to pay to keep Illinois’ prisons open and pay for other parts of state government. Nor does it include the $7 billion in unpaid bills sitting at the comptroller’s office.

State Rep. Patti Bellock, R-Hinsdale, said that Illinois wants to help, but won’t be able to help everyone.

“We support the idea, the goal of [these programs],” Bellock said. “We just need to know when we go into the budget process, how much we are talking about.”