7am News, Sports and Obits
Latest WGIL news
Click to play or
Right click and "Save Target As" to download
Click for Galesburg, Illinois Forecast
Home - Cancellations - Community Events - Contact Us - Mornings - News - Obituaries - Pictures - Programs - Special Events Audio - Sports - Weather
Moffitt Questions Some of Quinn's Budget Cuts
A local lawmaker says he knows Governor Pat Quinn was doing what he said he would do by announcing a billion dollars in cuts to the state budget, but he says some of them just don't make sense.

74th District State Representative Don Moffitt says he does believe that the next state budget, if and when it's approved, will be smaller than the just-ended fiscal year, but apparently on the backs of some agencies that just don't need it.

Moffitt tells WGIL cuts in funding to the Illinois Department of Corrections, for instance, just shouldn't be made.

"He's talking more than a thousand layoffs at Department of Corrections," Moffitt said. "That's an agency that's already understaffed. (The state is) already paying overtime. I question if laying off a thousand employees will save money when you're going to continue to be understaffed and pay even more overtime."

The Gilson Republican says he's also concerned about cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs -- an estimated $9 million worth and some job cuts there. He says there needs to be an adequate staff to fill the needs of veterans, especially those returning home from the current wars.

Moffitt and other downstate lawmakers are expected to meet with Quinn to discuss the budget during a luncheon in Springfield Thursday.
07 08 09 by Newsroom
News management powered by Xpression News

Click here for the WGIL News Archive

Click here for national news

The following provision applies to all visitors (which shall include persons and representatives of legal entities, whether such representatives are persons or digital engines of a kind that crawls, indexes, scrapes, copies, stores or transmits digital content). By accessing this Web site or digital service, you specifically acknowledge and agree that: (i) Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium; (ii) No Associated Press materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use; (iii) The Associated Press will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing; (iv) The Associated Press is an intended third party beneficiary of these terms and conditions and it may exercise all rights and remedies available to it; and (v) The Associated Press reserves the right to audit possible unauthorized commercial use of AP materials or any portion thereof at any time.