By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – State Sen. Darin Lahood (R-Peoria) called it ‘ridiculous’ that Illinois still doesn’t have a budget nearly two months after the last budget expired.

LaHood told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin what makes matters worse, the governor and legislative leaders have hardly been talking to each other.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott and Colleen’s interview with LaHood on WJBC.

“I think you have to take the four legislative leaders and the governor and lock them into a room and have some knock-down-drag-out negotiations,” LaHood said. “It’s a little ridiculous we are now two-and-a-half months into this and there’s really no negotiations going on. Both sides aren’t going to get what they want on this issue, but we clearly have to solve it.”

LaHood said two of the items on Governor Rauner’s turnaround agenda, term limits and redistricting, should be left up to the voters. He said workers compensation and tax reform are more pressing issues.

Rauner said last week he was willing to settle for support on three of the six issues in his Turnaround Agenda but didn’t say which three.

LaHood is running against Democrat Rob Mellon in the 18th congressional district special election on Sept. 10th.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].