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Gov.
Blagojevich signs FY08 budget; cuts nearly $500 million in 'pork'
and nonessential spending 
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State will
make record investment in education and increase access to health
care to 500,000 more people
[August 23, 2007]
SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Rod R.
Blagojevich signed the state's fiscal 2008 budget Thursday and
exercised his veto authority to remove nearly $500 million in "pork"
projects and other spending the state cannot afford from the
operating budget approved Aug. 10 by the General Assembly. With the
governor's vetoes and reductions, general revenue spending in the
fiscal 2008 budget reflects a 5.9 percent increase over fiscal 2007.
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 "As I said when the legislature passed this budget
-- it leaves a lot of important business unfinished," Blagojevich
said. "While I'm pleased that we're making a record investment in
education, families across the state are still being priced out of
health coverage and don't have a way to see a doctor when they need
to. A budget should reflect the priorities of the people who elected
us to make their lives better. That's why I'm removing almost $500
million in special pet projects and other spending that we simply
can't afford. And at the same time, we're preparing new rules and
administrative changes that will give half-a-million Illinoisans
access to health care. Two hundred fifty thousand women in Illinois
will be able to get screened and treated for breast and cervical
cancer. These changes improve the budget that lawmakers sent me. But
there's more to be done. I look forward to working with them on a
capital bill to provide funding for mass transit and aging
infrastructure like roads and bridges."In the budget the governor
signed Thursday, he cut a total of $463 million in spending:
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$15.8 million reduced
from constitutional office budgets for personnel and other
grants.
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$141.3 million
reduced from legislative add-ons.
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$306 million reduced
in other agency spending.
Many of the legislative add-ons that were eliminated had little
to do with the core mission of state government, such as funding
for:
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Outdoor volleyball
court improvements.
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An international
dance exhibition.
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A foreign delegation
for a sister city program.
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A drill team.
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An elevator for event
catering at a private cultural center.
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Parking lot and
gymnasium improvements for private schools.
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Beautification
project for a national railroad company.
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Planning funds for an
arboretum.
Last week Blagojevich announced his plan to use his executive
rule-making authority to bolster state health care programs and give
500,000 more Illinoisans access to affordable health coverage and
services, including;
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Every uninsured
woman in Illinois will be eligible to get screened and treated
for breast and cervical cancer, greatly improving cancer
outcomes and saving lives.
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Poor adults who are
not eligible for Medicaid will have the chance to see a doctor
regularly and get the prescription medications they need.
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More working and
middle-class uninsured parents will receive access to health
coverage at affordable rates through the FamilyCare program.
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Children in the All
Kids program who have pre-existing conditions will continue to
have access to affordable health insurance up to age 21.
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Families struggling
with the high cost of health insurance premiums will be able to
apply for yearly subsidies worth 20 percent of their annual
premiums, up to $1,000.
[to top of second column]
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Below is a summary of the fiscal budget and veto. The full veto will
be posted at
http://www.ilga.gov/.
FY08 budget fact sheet
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Total fiscal 2008 operating budget after veto: |
$50.7 billion |
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Total fiscal 2008 general revenue fund budget after veto:
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$27.48 billion |
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Increase over fiscal 2007 general revenue fund budget: |
$1.723 billion |
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Increase over fiscal 2007 by percent: |
5.9 percent |
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Total reduction from fiscal 2008 budget passed by General
Assembly: |
$463 million |
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Percent of fiscal 2008 budget reduced by veto:
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1.7 percent |
Of the $463 million reduced by veto:
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$15.8 million
represents reductions to constitutional offices for personnel
and other grants.
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$141.3 million
represents reductions to legislative add-ons.
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$306 million
represents reductions to other agency spending.
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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