Richard Evans, the Republican candidate for House District 43, agrees with a newly released study by Southern Illinois University-Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, which said the state's politicians are to blame for the current financial mess.
"Legislators and particularly the Democratic majority leadership are wrecking the state of Illinois," Evans said in response to the institute's study. "I am looking for any brave and informed legislators that are willing to cross party lines and vote in new leadership."
Evans' comments echoed those of the study.
“The leadership and political courage necessary to overcome this hard dichotomy has not been evident in Illinois politics over the decade and a half since the turn of the 21st century,” the study said. “Stalemate, ignoring budgetary realities and a stubborn clinging to the status quo have been the order of the day. Thus, legislative and governmental gridlock have resulted in an almost total breakdown in the Illinois budgetary process.”
Evans said it's time for legislators to get back to work on solving the state's financial issues.
"Get the budget balanced or at least develop a plan for a balanced budget," Evans said. "Stay in session until the work is completed and have the 'working groups' report daily on their progress to the entire General Assembly. The math is not complicated; we need a change in leadership and a change in the political will. For a leader who has been in a leadership position for over 20 years in the General Assembly, the time to resign or turn over the leadership to new talented legislators is now."
Alerts Sign-up