MOLINE, Illinois-- Time is ticking. Illinois lawmakers have six days in session until they lose all spending control.
This room is full of Illinois teens, and they are making sure local lawmakers hear their concerns.
"I'm a sixth generation on our family farm, so I would like to stay here. But I have no problem going to Wisconsin, Iowa, Montana, any other farming state in the country," says Riverdale High School junior John Searl.
Back in June Illinois lawmakers passed a temporary budget. But come December 31, that budget runs out completely.
"It's the same whether you're a democrat or republican. Everybody says we need to compromise. We need to get a budget done. I'm willing to get it done. Let's just get to work," says Republican State Senator Neil Anderson.
For progress to be made, Senator Anderson says it's going to take compromise on both sides.
"There's plenty of room to compromise on property tax issues, on workman's comp issues. Some of the other ones, it may be too heavy to lift. So let's talk about what we can agree on and then we'll move on from there," says Anderson.
But students like John remain skeptics.
"It's just an unfortunate situation lawmakers have put the citizens of Illinois in," says Searl.
Citizens are demanding less talk and more action before time's up.
News 8 reached out to democratic Illinois representatives Pat Verschoore, Mike Smiddy, and Don Moffitt for comment. None of them returned our calls.