By IRN/Alex Degman
SPRINGFIELD – A lawmaker representing Illinois’ capital city is growing weary of the seemingly never-ending budget wrangling.
State Rep. Raymond Poe (R-Springfield) says he’s not necessarily against the Senate President’s idea of “pushing the reset button.”
“I think we ought to be trying everything,” Poe says. “If that’s one of the options, that’s one of the options.”
Poe, who’s been in the legislature for decades, says political newcomers are testing the power structure – and when that happens there are going to be delays.
“Everybody’s got to feel their way, everybody’s got to understand who’s in control and who’s not in control,” Poe says of the stalemate. “It’s just better if we could just sit down and work together.”
Some of the pain that might have been felt has been mitigated – state workers are being paid, minus a few delays and glitches, and schools will open on time. Key agencies are being funded. Poe hopes it doesn’t take widespread pain and a government shutdown to force compromise.
