A new fiscal year has begun with the same old problems - an unbalanced budget and elected officials worried more about their egos and political futures than about what's best for the state and its residents.

Technically, the state has no budget - balanced or otherwise - for the fiscal year that began at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. The budget approved by the Legislature is awaiting action from the governor. He just officially received the final legislation on Monday.

The governor has threatened to make massive cuts, but the Legislature is paying about as much attention to him as fairy-tale townspeople did to the boy who cried, "Wolf!" one too many times.

Only this isn't a fairy tale; it's more like a horror novel - with red ink flowing instead of red blood.

All-but overlooked in the concern over the current fiscal year's budget is the fact that government leaders never closed the gap in last year's budget. That means last year's burden has moved into this year, compounding the problem.

Illinois can't afford to have a rerun of last summer, when a stop-gap budget was approved for one month and a final agreement didn't come until nearly mid-August.

The Illinois economy is shakier than it was a year ago, with high gasoline prices fueling diminished consumer confidence. The state's jobless rate for May was 6.4 percent, a full percentage point above the preceding month and 1.5 percentage points higher than may 2007.

Uncertainty in state government is likely to add to the uneasiness of consumers and businesses alike.

Bills for goods purchased or services rendered in the last fiscal year can continue to be paid. Certain obligations, such as assistance to needy families, can be paid even without a budget approved.

But if spending authority isn't in place by July 10, the paychecks of about 4,900 employees due to be paid July 15 could be in jeopardy, according to Comptroller Dan Hynes.

Tens of millions of dollars in other payments also could be in limbo.

We are tired of Gov. Rod Blagojevich and House Speaker Michael Madigan playing a perverse game of "chicken" as the state speeds toward the edge of a cliff while taxpayers are passengers in the runaway vehicle.

Don't call a special session, governor. It didn't work last year and it won't work any better this year.

Don't dump the problem in the lap of the court system.

Don't add new programs when the state hasn't figured out how to meet existing obligations.

Instead, the governor, speaker and other legislative leaders need to get down to business and reach an agreement all sides can live with, that doesn't rely on gimmicks, massive debt or shoving our problems on to future generations.