Ladies and gentlemen, in this corner we have first-time contender Bruce Rauner, Governor of the great State of Illinois. In the opposing corner, we have Mike Madigan, Speaker of the House and long-time seasoned fighter …
The bell sounds and they move to the center of the ring -- jabbing, ducking and swinging.
I am not sure what round we are in, what I do know is the match is not over and Illinois is without a state budget with the new fiscal year only a couple of weeks days away.
I have been through this before. It starts with posturing, then name-calling, and finally flinging blame in all directions until agreement is reached and everyone takes a deep breath.
How is it that the voters and taxpayers of Illinois are repeatedly subjected to this grueling, tension-filled, anxiety-producing process?
The first targets are always those funds that protect people living in poverty. Providers call for letter-writing and contacting elected officials. They trim and slice budgets until -- finally -- a number shows up and the match is over.
The contenders go back to their corners to lick their wounds, pat themselves on the back, and tally any points earned in the game.
I am weary of this game; I want a new game, one that inspires me to engage in the effort to balance the budget and serve people.
Anyone up for that game?
Yep!
Well, when the bell sounds, I’ll be in the ring!
I’m Lou Ness, and that’s my perspective.
