* From Suburban Life…

[State Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, D-Shorewood] was a guest Wednesday during the monthly Plainfield Coffee with the Mayor. She commented on the state budget impasse and answered questions about the local impact.

“I am not alone in saying this is a very, very unusual year,” Bertino-Tarrant said about her third year in Springfield. “Down there, it’s becoming more partisan. We have a very wealthy governor not afraid to say, ‘It’s my way or I’m coming after you.’ ”

Bertino-Tarrant compared Gov. Bruce Rauner as the Illinois Republicans’ version of House Speaker Michael Madigan, who has been known to have a far-reaching influence on state Democrats.

“Government is a service, not a business, as much as we’d like to think otherwise,” Bertino-Tarrant said.

* I asked reporter Vikaas Shanker for the Senator’s actual quote about Rauner being another version of Madigan. Here it is…

“Over the years people have talked about Madigan having a thumb on his people. Well, unfortunately, our Republican friends are seeing the same thing now. … I don’t work with Madigan, so I say they’re getting a little bit of Madigan on their own side.”

…Adding… This is becoming a familiar theme. From yesterday’s floor debate…

State Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, called GOP lawmakers “minions” and “enablers” of the Republican chief executive. […]

“I don’t think anybody on this side of the aisle is a minion,” answered state Rep. Dwight Kay, R-Glen Carbon. “We’re state representatives and we’re here to balance the budget. The derogatory tone is not a good sign.”

State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, said the display was “political theater.”

“It’s definitely becoming more intense,” Brady said.