(Photo courtesy Facebook/Jason Barickman)
By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – There’s been little movement in recent weeks toward ending the state budget stalemate, but state Sen. Jason Barickman said higher education could be next pressure point that forces the legislative leaders to the table.
“Imagine what happens if some university says we are going to canceled classes over the summer or we aren’t going to open in the spring of 2016 or the fall of 2016, that would be a real pressure point,” Barickman said.
Barickman told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin, the directional schools such as Northern, Southern and Western Illinois universities have a greater reliance on state funding than Illinois State or the University of Illinois. Higher eduction funding is already a focal point in the budget battle as Governor Rauner has called for cutting it 30 percent.
Pay raise
Count Barickman among the lawmakers who say they won’t take a pay raise this year. The Illinois Senate is expected to follow the House’s lead in rejecting a two-percent cost-of-living adjustment which lawmakers automatically built in for government shutdowns last year.
“Governor Rauner made this an issue over the summer, and it’s a popular issue,” Barickman said. “You can’t find someone who thinks we deserve a pay raise. Even my wife says the job’s not done.”
Barickman said he expects the state budget impasse will remain until public opinion sways one way or the other between those who want Rauner to hold the line on spending and those who want a state budget even if it means a tax increase.
Survey
A survey done by United Way of Illinois shows many human service agencies in the state are helping fewer clients and using cash reserves to get through the state’s budget impasse.
Barickman said he understands the impact the lack of a budget is having.
“For those who are not relying on Medicaid but are receiving significant state dollars and are relying on those dollars to pay staff and provide services, absolutely this has the potential to cripple some of those (agencies),” Barickman said.
Barickman said he backs Rauner is standing up to House Speaker Mike Madigan and not agreeing to an unbalanced budget.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
