The Illinois budget impasse is a million-dollar dilemma in Galesburg.
That's the total from five months of missed payments at places like the the region's 9-1-1 center.
"The money has to come from somewhere," said Galesburg Police Chief David Christensen.
While the center is more than $100,000 behind, it's even worse adding missed payments for police training.
"Every day that we operate the center, there's phone bills to pay," he continued. "There's staff to pay."
Galesburg is getting by with cash reserves, but that can't continue indefinitely.
Illinois also stiffed Galesburg on a $195,000 water bill at Henry Hill Correctional Center.
And Galesburg's take from video gaming is out more than $100,000 over the five months without a state budget.
"To add on top of that, the potential cuts from the state is a real problem for cities," said Galesburg City Manager Todd Thompson.
At Monday's State of the City Address, Mayor John Pritchard said there's no state budget deal in sight.
"We all face some serious financial challenges going forward," he said.
The money troubles will continue even with a state budget.
Nobody knows if Illinois will reimburse cities like Galesburg for the past five months.
That's a challenge for a city already wrapping up work on its next budget.
"Whether we'll get the money we are due," Thompson continued. "I've heard rumors that we may not."
It will be hard for Galesburg to meet new police training requirements without state funding.
"There's going to be additional burdens on those training units to provide that training," Chief Christensen concluded.
At this 9-1-1 center, a call for help that needs an answer from Illinois.