http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wium/local-wium-910595.mp3
Chicago, IL – On the first day of the state's new fiscal year, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced $1.4 billion in cuts to state spending. Quinn also issued an Executive Order to place additional restrictions on government spending.
The state faces a budget shortfall of roughly $13 billion. For the second year in a row, the General Assembly approved an underfunded state budget, leaving most of the budget cutting to Quinn.
"We have further tightened our belt by reducing state spending, enabling us to keep vital services intact, teachers employed, and children learning," Quinn said. "We have been in a national recession and this is an economic recovery budget. Today I'm making the tough decisions necessary to keep Illinois' economy moving in the right direction."
Funding for the Illinois Arts Council (and thus public broadcasting) does not appear to have been touched. However, reserves, interfund borrowing and Quinn's emergency budget powers mean nothing is really solid or final.
Funding for Western Illinois University was cut to $56,182,700. Lawmakers had approved $59,900,000 for Western. The same amount was also approved the last two years.
WIU administrators are now reviewing their options. They expect to announce a plan of action on Tuesday, July 6.
Quinn said he acted on the following bills on July 1:
*House Bill 859: Appropriations: Reduction vetoed
*Senate Bill 1215: Technical Appropriation Changes: Signed into law
*Senate Bill 3660: Emergency Budget Act: Signed into law
*Senate Bill 3662: Budget Implementation Act: Signed into law
Under the Emergency Budget Act, the Governor has powers to reduce and reserve funds throughout state government. These new laws also allow the Governor to address Illinois' backlog of bills by providing the state with $2 billion from tobacco settlement revenue and available balances of other state funds.
Quinn also also allocated money for several high-priority programs, including:
*$206 million to maintain early childhood education programs throughout the state
*$26.7 million to fund adult education programs at community colleges, which in turn qualifies for an additional $48 million in federal matching dollars
*$55 million to fund community mental health programs to maintain funding for community mental health residential programs
*$325 million to maintain funding that allows eligible seniors to remain in their homes, rather than moving into a nursing home
The Executive Order signed by Quinn requires spending reductions in areas such as travel expenses, vehicle use, printing, telecommunications, overtime pay, leasing of office space, contractual spending, energy efficiency, managed care for Medicaid and sale of surplus equipment and property.