SPRINGFIELD — On its 701st day without a budget, two more bond rating agencies have given Illinois its 7th and 8th credit downgrades since Gov. Rauner took office 2 ½ years ago.

According to Comptroller Suzana Mendoza, before Rauner took office, Illinois had been paying its backlog of bills down, whittling it down to less than $5 billion.

However, she says that in just two years under Rauner, Illinois’ unpaid bills have nearly tripled to $14.5 billion and growing.

Both Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s credit rating agencies dropped the state to one grade above junk status Thursday.

Standard & Poor’s said in its last assessment: “Illinois’ fiscal crisis is, in their view, a man-made byproduct of policy ultimatums placed on the state budget process.”

In the meantime, says Mendoza, her office will continue triaging how to make payments to Illinois’ struggling schools, nursing homes, hospice centers and aging facilities from a near-empty bank account.

But she warns that they’re about to reach the breaking point at which court-ordered payments will exceed the state’s revenues. Illinois’ sick, elderly, young, and most vulnerable are paying the price.