Quinn Preps $1 Billion In Cuts

With the state budget crisis growing worse by the day, Governor Quinn has prepared $1 billion in state cuts he plans to announce today in an effort to show legislators he's done all he can to save the state money. A good portion of the cuts will include laying off state workers and Quinn also plans to ask those who remain employed to take 12 furlough days. Said the Governor, "Nobody should be exempt from making sacrifices when all of our state finances are in peril. If the rest of state government is taking 12 furlough days, including my office, I think all the legislators and all the legislative staffs should participate in the sacrifice."

Quinn continues to try to convince state lawmakers to pass his proposed income tax hike to close what he estimates is a $9.2 billion budget gap. And while Quinn earned the support of some, like state Sen. James Meeks, others aren't so supportive. Said state Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo), "The governor inherited a mess...He didn't cause the problem, but my criticism is I don't think he's managing the problem well. It's just now that he's beginning to respond to the crisis that we all have known has been going for so long."

State lawmakers are due back in Springfield a week from today, July 14, to pick up the budget once more as a July 15 deadline looms. [WGN, Tribune]