By Dave Dahl/Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – This news will get you looking at the back of your car.

The Illinois secretary of state’s office, effective immediately, will no longer send you a postcard telling you your sticker is about to expire.

Dave Druker, a spokesman for the office, said this is because of the lack of a state budget. The postage, he said, is $5.4 million.

“This is the agency that probably affects most people (in their dealings with) state government,” Druker said. “We are prioritizing here – we are asking people to look at the back plate on their car and see what the (expiration) date is on that.”

Separately, in a letter to the governor and legislative leaders, secretary Jesse White expressed concern about security – and paying for utilities – at the state Capitol.

“We are hoping that will perhaps cause some movement to expedite those folks to sit down and come up with a fiscal 2016 budget,” Druker said.

During the 2015 legislative session, the governor proposed a budget which relied on pension savings which did not materialize. The legislature sent the governor a budget which he vetoed because it was unbalanced by some $4 billion. The government has been operating mostly via court order since the fiscal year began July 1.