Illinois Budget Still Has "Question marks and a hole of as much as $5 billion"

By RYAN KEITH
THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER
Posted Jul 29, 2009 @ 03:39 PM
Last update Jul 29, 2009 @ 03:57 PM
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Look for more details on deep state government budget cuts by the end of the week.

Gov. Pat Quinn told reporters today in Chicago he expects on Friday to release more specifics on what’s included in $1 billion in spending cuts he’s planning to make.

Quinn said he will meet with his Cabinet officials Friday morning and then make those plans public. He already has announced plans to lay off 2,600 state workers and ask workers to take 12 furlough days to deal with a major budget hole, but more details about what else will be cut have been elusive.

Quinn also could talk more then about how he plans to spend more than $1 billion in discretionary money lawmakers gave him to deal with shortages in funding as the year moves along. Education advocates, social service providers and others will be lining up for a piece of that cash to avoid or minimize cuts they’re facing in their programs and services.

Lawmakers and Quinn agreed two weeks ago on a spending plan for the full budget year that still has many question marks and a hole of as much as $5 billion. Quinn insists an income tax increase will be needed eventually to fix the problem, but there might not be enough legislative votes for that to happen until early next year.

The governor said he understands the tough situation he’s in but says he’s “fired up and raring to go” on dealing with the budget problems.