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| Governor Describes "Doomsday" Budget |
State lawmakers have been slow to embrace the governor's proposal to raise the income tax rate. Gov. Pat Quinn Monday warned them of the consequences of not doing so.
The governor described a "doomsday" budget that would cut state spending by 37 percent in order to rectify a projected budget deficit of $12 billion by mid-2010.
Among the consequences:
* A $1.5 billion cut in education, resulting in the layoff of 14,300 teachers
* Half the state troopers would be laid off
* The Department of Corrections would be forced to shed 6,000 inmates
* All state aid for transit and Amtrak would be eliminated ($500 million)
* $1.1 billion in state aid for local governments would be eliminated
* Health care would be cut by $1.2 billion, tossing 650,000 people off the rolls
* 271,000 senior citizens would lose a variety of benefits
* 400,000 college students would lose loans and grants as part of $554 million in cuts to higher education
* All four veterans' homes would close, to save $27 million, putting 1,000 veterans in nursing homes
* Half of state parks would close
* Funding for the State Fair would be eliminated
* The Department of Human Services would lose $769 million, impacting 100,000 people; addiction treatment would be eliminated for 45,000.
Quinn says he opposes a "doomsday budget," but says he wants lawmakers to know what they're in for when they say they prefer cuts to a tax increase.
Quinn proposes an income tax rate increase from 3% to 4 1/2%, with an increase in the personal exemption from $2,000 to $6,000.
(Illinois Radio Network) |
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| 05 18 09 by Newsroom |
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