Vote No Earlier Than Wednesday

Although the Illinois House will return to work Monday on the budget, the Senate doesn't plan to reconvene until Wednesday, according to the State Journal-Register.

That means a vote on the new Millennium Development plan for Marion remains at least five days away.

Democrats which control both chambers are expected to pass a budget by the end of the week to avoid going into overtime in June. At that point budgets require a super-majority vote which would empower the Republicans which have been virtually shut out of the budget process.