By Eric Stock
SPRINGFIELD – The woman who pays the state’s bills says she’s not ‘crying wolf’ over the state’s budget impasse.
Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin if Illinoisans don’t realize the severity of the situation now, they will if there’s still no budget by July 1.
“People are not engaged at this point,” Munger said. “They don’t understand there’s all of these different things we can pay without a budget.”
Podcast: Listen to Munger’s conversation on WJBC.
Social service agencies and Medicaid and non-profit providers would see their state payments halted. State employees also wouldn’t get paid and aid to schools would be stopped. \The state would still make its pension payments and deliver money to local governments.
Munger urged Illinoisans who are upset by that prospect to call their legislators.
“Tell them we must have a balanced budget and we need it now,” Munger said.
As for the $1 million ad campaign Gov. Bruce Rauner has launched against the Democrats, the Republican Munger said both parties have added to the animosity that exists in Springfield.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
