Disagreement Over Paying State's Bills
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WBBM) -- What was supposed to be a budget overview at a Senate committee meeting Tuesday came up short, in the eyes of the intended audience.
As WBBM Newsradio 780's Dave Dahl reports, senators, including Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), are not impressed with what they see as a vague list of bullet points, and a lack of aggressiveness to cut.
LISTEN: Newsradio 780's Dave Dahl reports
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But budget chief of staff Malcolm Weems says it's not as easy as it sounds.
"Couldn't you take the $7.3 billion tax increase and pay down bills if you made spending cuts elsewhere in the budget?" Murphy asked Weems.
"We do know that pension rolls have to be accounted for. The lack of Medicaid we're trying to protect will play a factor. I think it will take much longer than what's being said in terms of how long it would take to actually pay off all the bills that I mentioned to you," Weems said.
Gov. Pat Quinn gives his budget speech on Wednesday, Feb. 16.
