Feb. 17 --- that's when the governor's to give his next budget speech. It could be that Rauner makes history; presenting a budget proposal for the next fiscal year, even as there isn't a current one in place.

Not having a state budget has led to a lot of consequences. One of the more visible ones, Christmas lights.

Babies should develop in leaps and bounds; so while missing out on months of therapy doesn't sound like long, the consequences are compounded. Supporters of "EI" say that working with infants and toddlers saves money later, by lessening kids' needs when they're older; some studies say it even leads to reduced prison rates.

The governor was asked in mid-May if state employees should be concerned about layoffs or a strike. "Hopefully not," he said. "We've got to make some big changes. Changes are hard. And there's going to be a lot of resistance to change."