Budget fight leaves Illinois stuck with overdue bills

[47of74]

Another result of having a "pro business Republican" in the Governor's office.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Friday afternoon email read with remarkable alacrity, given its message: The trip to a Springfield store to buy all-purpose Fabuloso Cleaner for the Secretary of State's office was for naught.

"They would not sell to us because we are shut off due to lack of payment," the storeroom worker wrote to his boss and others. "Have a great weekend!"

As Illinois politicians continue to squabble over a budget that should have taken effect July 1, hundreds of state contractors have been left with little more than I.O.U.s, according to more than 500 pages of documents — just since Nov. 1 — released to The Associated Press under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

From a $28.44 late-notice water and sewer bill at the 1848 Mt. Pulaski Courthouse — which had neither when Abraham Lincoln practiced law there — to $4.8 million that Illinois owes Michigan for a health partnership, vendors have flooded the Capitol with disconnect warnings, credit-hold notices, desperate pleas and even a frowny face stamp in an effort to get paid.

[truebrit71]

1. Bruce Ruiner living up to his reputation.

Ruck Fauner.

[murielm99]

2. When is he going to figure out

that being a CEO and a politician are not the same thing? When he is sitting in a jail cell?

[hedda_foil]

3. He's banking on getting the voters to believe it's the Dems fault and voting in Rs.

There's an election coming and his term isn't up but lots of theirs are. He wants to be the next Snyder/Walker. And we're in bad enough shape for a huge infusion of campaign cash on attack ads for it to work. If the Dems don't come out for the presidential election, Ruiner could succeed.

[murielm99]

4. This is one time the Dems will come out.

They show up to work and to vote during Presidential election years. The rest of the time, not so much.

I have been an activist in Illinois all my life, and it never changes. If a few more people had gotten off their asses, Ruiner would not be governor. His win was very narrow.