A recent study by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale blames Illinois' current financial disaster on the state's elected officials, something with which Martin Blumenthal, the Republican candidate for state House District 58, agrees.
“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.”
Blumenthal did not, however, agree with the institute's assessment that voters are partially responsible for allowing the situation to perpetuate.
"SIU’s study confirms the voter sentiment that I hear when going door-to-door and talking to people at public gatherings," Blumenthal said. "I find that 95 percent of the people are well aware of Illinois’ precarious financial position and feel the pain, mostly through sky-high property taxes. The same people are very well-informed that it is Mike Madigan who is tightening the choke on Illinois. He will not let the taxpayers tap out."
The study calls on voters to “pay attention and respect the facts and realities, and demand empirical evidence for the claims being made by candidates for office.”
“None of this had to happen," the report said. "It was not foreordained; it was not an act of God or a tragedy wrought by Mother Nature. The actions taken were those of the public officials responsible for the operation of the government. We can learn from instances when state government did not fail, when the budgetary chips were on the line, and when political leadership and courage were exhibited.”
Blumenthal called on voters to fix the situation themselves.
"The study blamed the voters as well as the politicians they voted into office," Blumenthal said. "Now the voters can fight back by electing fiscally conservative candidates, as I am, to represent them in the General Assembly. Those they send to Springfield can then do their part to reverse the damage before it’s too late."
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