Chamber Applauds Reported State Budget Cut Plans
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) -- A group representing Illinois businesses gives Gov. Pat Quinn average grades for job creation, and says an across-the-board budget cut is a good idea.
As WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports, Illinois Chamber of Commerce President Doug Whitley hopes all the talk is true, that Quinn will spell out cuts of 9 percent to most state agencies in his proposed budget.
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"If the governor is talking about that kind of austerity move, then I think that's very appropriate, and I'll be applauding that on Wednesday," Whitley said.
Quinn will deliver his budget address in Springfield Wednesday.
"I know that cost-cutting is not going to be popular with public employee unions, or citizens who are dependent on government services. But the fact of the matter is, Illinois has been overspending by about 20 percent," Whitley said. "So I think the 9 percent cut is a good start."
Whitley and his group rate Quinn as doing a better job with the state's finances than his two corrupt predecessors, Rod Blagojevich and George Ryan.
Published reports say Quinn will also call for major cuts to the Illinois Medicaid program.>a?
The state has a backlog of $9.2 billion worth of unpaid bills.
