Carbondale --  The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute is shedding new light on why people are so cynical about government.

According to a recent poll, nearly 77 percent of registered voters believe corruption runs rampant in Illinois politics. Charles Leonard says they hope lawmakers on both sides of the aisle see the data and take action.

About 60 pecent of voters believe corruption in Illinois is far more of a problem than in any other state in the U.S. The business community is only slightly better, with 62-percent of respondents saying corruption is also widespread in Illinois business. That number was even higher among minorities and those who make less than 50-thousand dollars a year, at about 73-percent. Leonard says it's highly unlikely that the numbers would be any different if Republicans were in charge in Springfield.