After a month-long budget negotiation stalemate, the Illinois state government began operating without a budget July 1. This means that the state comptroller's office won't have the legal authority to pay for any personnel or services covered by state government. It's been referred to as a "government shutdown," but it may play out more like a series of varying problems.
Comptroller Leslie Munger said three weeks ago that state employees will miss their first paychecks on July 15 if there is no budget in place. Gov. Bruce Rauner says his legal team plans to pursue a court order to keep the paychecks coming, but Attorney General Lisa Madigan says that plan won't work. House Speaker Michael Madigan announced Tuesday that the General Assembly on Wednesday will consider a 30-day emergency budget to keep essential services funded.
Everything appears to be in flux, but here's a look at some things that might happen as state government enters the legal and political limbo that comes with running the state with no spending plan.
1. State museums could close.
On June 2, Rauner announced plans to close five state museums if there was no budget in place July 1: the Illinois State Museum in Springfield; the Dickson Mounds Museum and archaeological site in Lewiston; and three art galleries, Chicago and the affiliated artisans' shop, the Lockport Gallery, and the Southern Illinois Art and Artisans Center at Rend Lake.
2. State parks could close.
For now, state parks will remain open, though it's unknown if that will be the case should the budget situation go on for an extended period.
Visitors are advised to check the Department of Natural Resources closures page when planning their trips.
3. Secretary of State services could be affected -- eventually.
Drivers licenses and business licenses in Illinois are issued by the Secretary of State's office. So for Illinois teens who are hoping to start cruising in their first set of wheels this summer, or for anyone who needs to renew their license to be able to drop their kids off at swim lessons or get to work, a shutdown could mean being stranded or a delay to starting new businesses in the state.
Secretary of State Jesse White's spokesperson, Dave Druker, said that the office plans to operate like normal for at least two weeks, and that the office employees would receive one more paycheck, even without a budget agreement. After a few weeks, Druker said, the office would have to reevaluate the plan, as paychecks might not be available then, and there is no guarantee that employees would come to work if they are not being paid.
"Hopefully something is worked out and a budget is agreed upon," he said. But until state funds dry up completely, "the plan is to be here."
4. Publicly funded health care would stop or slow down.
Care facilities throughout the state that help take care of the elderly, the disabled, the ill and children would stop receiving funding. Doctors who care for low-income or elderly patients and rely on Medicaid and Medicare money would see their payments stop. These care facilities and medical practices wouldn't be able to pay their employees or run their everyday operations, which would cause problems for the employees and their families and the patients and their families.
Ari Polstein, a marketing staffer at Countryside Care Centre in Aurora, said a shutdown would be "completely tragic" for his facility. Money to cover their Medicaid and Medicare patients would no longer be coming in, which Polstein said would be a problem, as the organization struggles to cover costs. But, he said, the employees would still do their best to care for the patients staying there.
5. County fairs would lose their funding.
Summer in Illinois is the season for county fairs. If the legislature and the governor can't come to a budget agreement, the annual community celebrations would lose funding for fairground maintenance and other services provided by the Department of Agriculture, says Communications Manager Kristi Jones.
6. Social services would take a hit.
State-funded after-school programs and daycares that receive state funds wouldn't be able to function like normal, causing inconveniences for many parents throughout the state. As Kristin McQueary points out in the Chicago Tribune, Department of Children and Family Services case workers wouldn't be able to perform their duties efficiently, meaning they could miss out on checking on abused children or working with children who are in the foster system.
7. State government employees wouldn't be paid -- maybe.
The Illinois state government employs tens of thousands of people. If there is no budget, the comptroller's office doesn't know who to cut checks to. Rauner told employees June 29 that he would try to keep their paychecks coming, says the Chicago Sun-Times. But Attorney General Lisa Madigan released her own statement questioning the legality of such a move. "Illinois law is clear that the State cannot continue to fund all government operations and services in the absence of a budget passed by the legislature and signed into law by the Governor," she said. Rauner did acknowledge that vendors' payments could be delayed. If the government does lose its ability to send paychecks, workers could miss out on getting paid until a budget agreement is reached, which could cause problems for them and their families.
(Check out more information at Reboot Illinois.)
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