A stalemate persists, as Illinois begins a tenth month without a budget. Legislators are back in Springfield after a spring break. And they now have a few months to also find an agreement on a new budget, to cover next year.
Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno says the urgency to pass a budget has heightened:
"It has been urgent all along, but I think in large part people have been shielded from that urgency, because they don't all use all the services of the state of Illinois."
Radogno says now, that impact is beginning to creep to a larger population.
Parents are fearful elementary and high schools won't get funded next year. Students deciding where to go to college are questioning which universities will remain open.
Republicans -- who are in the minority in the legislature -- claim they're willing to compromise, but Democrats refuse to negotiate.
Democratic leaders say they've been compromising for a year and a half.
