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Some Not Pleased with Preview of Governor's Budget Plans
(IRN)-Senators getting what could be an early look at Governor Pat Quinn's budget message were far from impressed with what they saw and heard Tuesday.

Members of the state Senate's two appropriations committees were expecting to hear from the governor's budget director, David Vaught. Instead, Vaught sent his office's chief of staff, Malcolm Weems. A spokeswoman said Vaught was busy with another project: preparing for a pension bond sale.

Senators were not shy about voicing their displeasure with Vaught for sending a subordinate. They also did not care for what they called an "insulting," "primitive," and "elementary" presentation of budget bullet points. Sen. Willie Delgado (D-Chicago) said the affair was better suited to a "block club" than to senators who, one week from Wednesday, will be hearing from the governor himself.

Some, particularly Republicans, made a point of Weems' failure to demonstrate much in the way of specific budget cuts. What's more, the numbers Weems had assumed that, for example, an increased cigarette tax would have passed. It hasn't.

The fiscal year ends June 30, and Weems denied rumors that there are plans to make more cuts in human service programs in the current fiscal year. Sen. Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) said she has heard specific numbers state department heads have received from the budget office. Weems’ response: "No, what they're talking about are scenarios."

(Source: Illinois Radio Network)
02 09 11 by Newsroom
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