Rep. Tim Schmitz, R-Batavia, said last week that the last 72 hours of the spring legislative session were the most significant. In those last hours, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, failed to call a capital bill, and legislators sent an unbalanced budget to Gov. Rod Blagojevich's desk.

In the House, there was no opportunity to debate the budget before it was called for a vote on May 31, the last day of session, Schmitz added.

"It is frustrating because it could be done differently," he said. "The thing that really bothers me on all of this is it's all over personalities. I don't expect people to get along with everybody but we're sent [to Springfield] to do a job."

Madigan and Blagojevich have disagreed in the past, and they failed to work together on budget or capital this year.

Blagojevich has asked legislative leaders to come up with a different plan or he may use his veto power on a budget that, he says, has a $2 billion deficit.

So far, the parties have not come to an agreement. Madigan will not attend meetings, instead sending other legislators in his place.

Separate from the budget this year was a plan for capital projects, including work on roads, bridges and schools throughout the state. Such a plan hasn't been passed out of the Legislature since former Gov. George Ryan was in office.

Blagojevich, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Plano and former U.S. Rep. Glenn Poshard led a bipartisan coalition promoting Illinois Works - a $31 billion capital plan funded through an expansion of gaming, leasing the state lottery and other proposals.

Although it passed the Senate - where Blagojevich ally Sen. President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, presides - Madigan did not call it for a vote in the House.

Now, legislators are at a loss of how to fund projects back home.

"I think it's a missed opportunity right now," Schmitz said.

State Sen. Chris Lauzen, R-Aurora, agrees. Lauzen was the sole dissenting vote on the plan in the Senate. He said he voted no because of last-minute increases in the Illinois Works plan. He also questions the plan's funding sources.

Still, Lauzen said he wants a plan in place.

"It's important ... but what they're proposing is three times the size [of the last capital bill]," he said. "Maybe we need something that big ... but they put it in in the last four days [of session] At a certain point, you just say no."

State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, also said she's frustrated over the lack of a capital plan, as are unions, schools, community colleges and residents, who all want improved infrastructure.

"We strongly need [capital], but we need a reasonable way to pay for this," she said. "We all need to work together. There's a lot of unrest with a lot of the members."

State Rep. Patricia Reid Lindner, R-Sugar Grove, is one of them. She said she wished she had the opportunity to vote for the plan.

"It's a lot of politics," Lindner said.

Of local lawmakers serving central Kane County, few could come up with positive results from the legislative session.

Chapa LaVia commended the increase in education funds in the budget, including an additional $13 million set aside for Aurora area schools.

Schmitz mentioned creating graduated driver's licenses for teens, but said it was hard to come up with positive parts from session.

Lauzen said "gross mismanagement" halts his ability to recall success in Springfield this year.

"I can't think about the good," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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