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Read the press release here.

State Budget Impasse Reaches New Low: Illinois Is Too Broke for Stamps

By Patty Wetli | December 3, 2015 8:53am
 The Secretary of State's office can't afford the postage to mail vehicle registration renewal reminders.
The Secretary of State's office can't afford the postage to mail vehicle registration renewal reminders.
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Flickr/Kate Ter Haar

LINCOLN SQUARE — It's quite a game of chicken they're playing down in Springfield, and stamps are just the latest casualty in the war between Gov. Bruce Rauner and the legislature's Democrats.

Given much thought to your vehicle registration renewal lately? Of course not, because the Secretary of State always mails a reminder.

At least it used to.

According to a notice posted to the Secretary of State's website, the office is suspending renewal reminder mailings because it can't afford stamps.

What money the office has remaining in its postage budget is allocated toward mailing the actual renewal stickers, license plates and titles — "for a few months longer before the postage account is depleted."

If you're thinking, "Whatevs, if they don't send a reminder, I can't get a ticket for failing to renew," you don't know how things work in Illinois.

Motorists are encouraged to sign up online to receive their renewal reminder via email — assuming the state can still pay its Internet provider.

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