ILLINOIS (AP) -- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn isn't saying exactly how he plans to cut state spending to close the multibillion dollar budget gap - only that he's going to.
Just days after state lawmakers left many key spending decisions up to Quinn, the governor said he's willing to make the tough cuts that legislators are unwilling to make.
But when pressed for details, Quinn talked only about how some costs will be trimmed through furlough days for lawmakers and himself and a reduction in travel expenses for state workers - steps that don't come close to closing what is a $13 billion budget shortfall.
Quinn was clear on what he does not want to cut and hopes he won't have to cut much : education, public safety, human services and health care.
That would rule out cuts to most of the state budget.
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KHQA spoke to state representative Jil Tracy about the budget today to get her take.
"I think we have to make very significant cuts. I'm in the minority. The Republican Caucus in the House introduced at least 60 measures to start widdling away at the deficit. Most of those were left in committee,"
Representative Tracy says she thinks all Illinoisans need to see all of the waste that goes on in state government.
She told KHQA the state's Auditor General audits every state agency every year.
In fact, Tracy says the Auditor General has been saying for years Illinois is not accountable and doesn't run efficiently as a state.
Here's a link to the Auditor General's site: http://www.auditor.illinois.gov/Audit-Reports/ABC-List.asp
KHQA received this from State Representative Rich Myers:
Democrat Budget Leaves More Questions Than Answers
The Illinois House and Senate adjourned Thursday, May 28th leaving Springfield without addressing the worst fiscal disaster in state history. With the state teetering on the brink of insolvency, the Democrat majority refused the call to restore fiscal stability and stop the overspending of the past eight years that has left a deficit which is nearly the worst in the nation.
The budget that passed with only democrat votes grants Governor Quinn extraordinary leeway to manage state funds and relies on gimmicks, selling one time state assets and borrowing. The spending plan totaling $26.1 billion would allow the Governor to borrow from special state funds to the tune of $1 billion, sell tobacco settlement proceeds to capture $1.2 billion, and extend the period by four months in which the state would be able to put off paying $6 billion in overdue bills from the current fiscal year.
Businesses and providers throughout the state are owed billions in late payments, and yet there wasn't even an attempt to come to a responsible solution that would pay these unpaid bills. We've heard a lot of talk from the governor and other politicians about job creation, but here you have successful businesses who have weathered the recession only to be told by the state that it will be months before they are paid for services they have already provided. These vendors and businesses are then forced to make up for the lost revenue by laying off employees, scaling back potential expansions, and reducing or discontinuing services. It is terrible financial policy and jeopardizes our overall economic recovery. It's no wonder our state ranks 48th in economic performance and we continue to see our unemployment rate hover above the national average.
Schools throughout the state are owed over $1.4 billion, higher education institutions are waiting on $640 million in late payments and a number of vendors who provide healthcare to the states' most vulnerable residents have said they may stop providing services unless they are paid upfront. To say the situation is bad would be an understatement.
The biggest problem of all is that there was no effort to change the budget crafting process. Bipartisanship is nonexistent in budget negotiations, even rank-and-file members from the majority party are largely left out of crafting the budget. The Speaker and Senate President have assumed nearly all responsibility for putting together a final spending plan, which is done behind closed doors at the last minute. This leaves individual Representatives and Senators with mere hours to sort through a two-thousand page, multibillion dollar spending document. There is no time for the tax paying citizens to see how their dollars are going to be spent, the media does not get a chance to pick apart and publicize the fraudulent and wasteful spending, and legislators are asked to vote on billions in spending without even knowing exactly where those dollars will go.
All year we have asked to be included in budget negotiations. We provided a detailed list of cuts and reforms to rid state government of waste and inefficiencies, and ensure spending remains in line with revenues. None of our suggestions were considered, and now we are presented with a budget full of false promises that fails the residents of Illinois. During the last week of session we again offered 63 separate proposals to save taxpayer dollars, and when we tried to move the legislation forward the majority party refused to allow any of the measures to be debated. Reasonable and responsible solutions should not be denied because they are Republican or Democrat, the only criteria they should be judged on is there merits. If they are in the best interests of the residents of Illinois then it doesn't matter what party brought them forward so long as they accomplish there intended purpose.
We are in this financial failure because of eight years of overspending and incompetent fiscal management. The so called solutions offered by the majority party are precisely the same policies that created the current mess. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. More borrowing, higher taxes, selling long term valuable state assets for quick cash and other fiscal tricks are exactly what created this financial disaster. So why anyone would feel that these proposals are going to be the magic cure to the budget problems is a mystery.
The fact is that Illinois' budget is like a bucket with the hole in the bottom. We keep pouring more and more revenue into that same bucket without first plugging the holes. At this point there are so many holes I'm not sure it is reasonable to patch them all, meaning it's time for a new bucket. We must start from scratch and rebuild Illinois spending agenda by focusing on what our top priorities must be. The assumption that every program and service currently funded must be continued is unsustainable. The decisions are not going to be easy and a number of the choices are going to be unpopular, but the basic reality is that the state of Illinois can not continue year after year to spend more money than it takes in. The budget that was passed last week does not realize this fact, and that is why each year we find ourselves looking at a deficit that has managed to grow even larger.
Farmers Will Again be Legal While Operating ATV's on Roadways
Last year there were a couple of new laws that redefined certain "non-highway" vehicles, basically creating a set of standards and regulations which would allow towns to authorize the use of such vehicles on local streets. However, as an unintended consequence the number of new regulations hampered farmers who use such vehicles to travel to and from their homes to their fields on township and county roads. As a result if a farmer wanted to use an ATV or other similar vehicle to run down the road to the field, they had to meet very similar legal standards that are expected when operating a car or truck.
House Bill 6094 acts to correct this problem by allowing the use of certain "non-highway" vehicles on county and township roadways if the vehicles are being used for the purpose of farming operations to and from the home, farm, farm buildings and any nearby farmland. The legislation allows for such a vehicle to be insured under a farm or home insurance policy, and does not require them to be titled or registered. If the vehicles are going to be driven on the roadway before sunrise or after sunset they must have the required head and tail lights. Whoever is operating the vehicle for farming purposes must also have a valid driver's license.
House Bill 6094 was an initiative of the Illinois Farm Bureau aimed to clear up some confusion on whether certain farm vehicles were subject to the new regulations and if farmers would be operating illegally by using these vehicles on local roadways. The legislation has passed both chambers of the General Assembly and currently awaits Governor Quinn's signature. If you wish to be removed from Myers' Messenger e-newsletter, please email us at Repmyers@macomb.com and include the phrase "REMOVE" in the subject line. |
Sincerely, Richard Myers
State Representative
94th District
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