Making Sense of the Illinois State Budget
When newly-installed Governor Quinn gave his budget address March 18, 2009, he put forth the case for a combination of budget cuts and tax increases necessary for the indebted state of Illinois to get through this devastating recession. Although he pushed this message throughout the legislative session and the Senate approved a substantial tax hike, in the end the budget signed into law on July 15 relies instead on borrowing and harsh cuts to essential services in Illinois.
In a year of many notorious firsts within Illinois politics, this year’s budget is unprecedented in many ways. It relies tremendously on borrowing, jeopardizing the state’s credit-worthiness and resulting in a massive projected deficit of $10 billion for next year. It grants the Governor unheard of discretion by appropriating lump sum amounts to agencies under his control and leaving up to him the decision as to which programs to cut, rather than providing line-by-line programmatic spending authority as in past years, in an attempt to push the blame for the required cuts onto him. To the devastation of the state’s most vulnerable, it makes deep cuts in many programs on which thousands of residents rely.
The full impact of this year’s budget will not be realized until the Governor and his agencies make the tough decisions the legislature chose not to make, deciding which programs will be fully funded, which will be cut, and which will be eliminated. But the ultimate impact of this budget will continue to be felt for years, as the state will cope with addictions that could have been treated, violence and homelessness that could have been prevented, and increased expenses from seniors forced into nursing homes.
Before this budget was even signed into law, the uncertainty caused by the failure to adopt a new budget before the start of the state’s fiscal year and the massive cuts being proposed led to hundreds of social service providers being laid off and thousands of Illinois residents in need of assistance being turned away. Since the adopted budget funds social services at about 85% of the Governor’s requested budget, which already contained cuts, more layoffs will occur and additional services will be cut. But the fight is not yet over. With continued advocacy by the thousands who have written letters, called legislators, attended rallies, and struggled to make their voices heard, the legislature will return in January to renewed cries for the tax increase the state so desperately needs. Perhaps then, when the cuts are real and the legislators see the suffering their cowardice created, they will step up and meet the needs of the people and state they supposedly serve.
To read the Shriver Center's complete analysis of the Illinois State budget, click here.
Shriver Center is playing the same tune as others instead of singing new song. Others who reviewed the budget just past have pointed out that despite the cuts mandated, there remains tremendous amount of Pork in the budget.
Would it not make sense, rather than demanding tax hikes to burden us Illinoisans even further, to focus the fight on the padding, the favoritism? Yes, this is the more difficult fight but the one which will truly help heal teh Illinois pocket book
Advocate higher taxes? Good Heavens that is merely throwing oil on the fire!! The money is there if spent wisely. carefully and objectively.
Every state program and initiative needs to be examined to see if it truly meets its objectives and if the money is being spent the best manner possible.
Are the programs effective? Are the target audiences being reached and reached most effectively.
Illinoisans have to do the homework. Only then is it fair to discuss tax increases and I am guessing that if the homework is done, no increase or very little will be needed. Because sieves in the budget will be closed.