Here’s something you have probably heard before: Funding for education is the number one problem in the state of Illinois.

Of course it’s something you’ve heard before. Everybody in the state has been saying that for the last few years. There’s proof.

NIU’s Public Opinion Laboratory conducted a survey for the university’s Center for Governmental Studies during November and December to find out what Illinois residents thought were the state’s biggest problems.

For the third consecutive year, funding for education received the most votes for the top of the list. Taxes and government spending came in second and illegal drug use ranked third.

There seems to be no question that funding for education is the state’s biggest problem and has been for three years—three years during which nothing has been done about it.

All talk and no action.

Even though it has been our state’s biggest pain in the butt, there has not been any significant moves made to correct the problem. It appears that members of state government have not been listening too well to the voices of the people because the issue has been dragged in every direction during the last few years.

It is always good to talk before you act, but if you don’t act, then all the talk doesn’t mean a thing.