 Last year, the General Assembly and Gov. Pat Quinn passed a budget
using a combination of billions of dollars in borrowing as well as
millions of dollars in fund transfers to help meet some of the
state's obligations.Quinn signed off on the budget after his
appeals for a tax increase fell short in the legislature. The
Illinois Senate passed a tax increase proposal, but the Illinois
House decided to ignore it.
This year, the budget deficit is deeper, and Quinn is again
calling for more revenue, through what he's calling a "surcharge"
aimed at funding schools. But lawmakers give the 1 percentage point
increase in the income tax a slim chance of passage.
State Rep. Pat Verschoore, D-Milan, said his colleagues and the
governor are going to struggle with tough decisions during the final
days of the legislative session.
"I think it's going to be much more difficult this year because
last year we cut some money out of the budget from the service
agencies and schools. … If we go as deep (in cuts) as the governor
is talking about, it's really going to be hard on the schools," he
said.
But state Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine, doesn't think Quinn is
going to go through with cuts to education. Murphy thinks this
budget will include nominal cuts while relying heavily on borrowing.
"One of the proposals that's being discussed is bonding out
tobacco proceeds. Seventeen years' worth of tobacco proceeds --
we're going to take the money upfront and get $1 billion. It's going
to cost us $2.25 billion by the time we're done paying it back.
We've maxed out all the other credit cards, so this is a new one
we're getting. It's not responsible," he said.
State Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, said he doesn't like the state
to borrow money, because the state has to pay it back with interest.
"You borrow $6 billion, you've got to pay interest. So who does
that? The taxpayers do that," he said. "The bottom line is that
(taxpayers) are really getting hurt."
Illinois faces a $13 billion budget shortfall and faces a
structural deficit -- state expenditures are outpacing revenues
coming into the state.
Lawmakers have neglected the structural deficit for years, which
has worsened in part because of the national recession.
The General Assembly isn't expected to fully address the deficit
by May 7, the scheduled end of the legislative session.
State Rep. Chuck Jefferson, D-Rockford, said an income tax
increase is a difficult vote to make before November's general
election.
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Jefferson added that lawmakers cannot afford to think about their
political futures when considering a tax increase.
"Sometimes we have to think beyond that. This is the right thing
to do. Let's do it, let's bite the bullet and suffer the
consequences of whatever might come," he said.
But state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, said state government
has to first implement controls in spending, pay freezes and more
furlough days.
"We have to take at least baby steps. Talk to the electorate,
after you've done those types of things, about some type of revenue
enhancement down the road. Have the debate then," he said.
Many lawmakers think they will pass a temporary budget with
enough money for state agencies and programs to stay afloat, before
addressing the structural deficit next year.
State Rep. Jim Watson, R-Jacksonville, is still hopeful he and
his colleagues can come up with substantial solutions.
"It's painful to watch this and know this train wreck's coming,
and the folks that are vested with leadership right now have opted
not to address those issues," he said.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By KEVIN LEE]
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