Imagining an improved Illinois in 2016

Well, my fellow Illinois lovers, I’m sorry to have to say it, but the top state officials we elected have wasted an entire year of our lives and our futures. Hang with me, please, and keep reading because I am going to try to summon some optimism for Illinois.

But, I did take a peek back at our new year and new era essay from last year and, to be blunt, not a thing we hoped for has been achieved. Not any progress on pensions, despite a May state Supreme Court ruling. Nothing on taxes or the budget, schools and school funding, helping our neediest children, redistricting reform, and certainly not much in the way of trust-building among first-year Gov. Bruce Rauner, his fellow Republican leaders Christine Radogno and Jim Durkin, and House Speaker Michael J. Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton.

Here’s hoping they summon the courage and wisdom to listen to us, compromise and forge a return to greatness for us and for Illinois.

And so, with apologies to John Lennon, I thought a song for the ages might help us all focus on what could be as another new year rises and calls us to renewal.

You can read the rest here.