While the State of Illinois has been operating without a budget for about eight months, the State is to a degree, operating like there is a budget in place.

Representative Bill Mitchell recently called the state on "autopilot" and political expert Dr. Kent Redfield says the lack of urgency in Springfield is "distressing". He calls it "a big game of chicken" between lawmakers.

Redfield says this is going to collapse at some point. He points out the state is spending money they don't have, putting the state farther in a hole and predicts serious financial problems.

The trickle down effect has reached proportions where universities face shutdowns. He says it could take a serious scenario like a university shutting down or even someone dying from a lack of services for lawmakers to come together.

Redfield says once a budget is passed, the State will have lost a year of revenue and predicts a tax increase of some sort and major budget cuts. He calls it much more difficult because of spending while not bringing in as much revenue as the state should.