Quinn Makes Minor Cuts To $35.7B Illinois Budget

Gov. Pat Quinn has used his line-item veto power to make minor cuts to a $35.7 billion state budget plan he has called "incomplete.''

In a statement Monday, Quinn says he's eliminating $250 million for renovations of the state Capitol. The Chicago Democrat also says the state will sell nearly half its airplanes. 

Lawmakers passed the spending plan for the fiscal year that begins Tuesday after Democratic leaders couldn't find enough votes to extend Illinois' temporary income tax increase.

Quinn had lobbied in favor of the extension in the midst of a tough re-election campaign against Republican Bruce Rauner, who opposes it.
 
The lawmakers' plan doesn't allocate enough money to cover state expenses. It uses special funds for day-to-day operations and banks on possible future increases in revenue.

In a statement Monday, Quinn's opponent Bruce Rauner, called the spending plan a "broken budget."

He said there should be structural reforms to "shake up'' the way Springfield does business.

Rauner has released some ideas of his own proposed spending plan, including merging the comptroller and treasurer's office.   Rauner also said he wants to sell most of the state's planes.

And Senate President John Cullerton says the state budget that Quinn has signed secures funding for key priorities, but difficult decisions are coming.
 
The Chicago Democrat's spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon issued a statement Monday saying that Illinois will be faced with more tough choices to make fiscal progress.