State Senate Approves Major Cuts From Quinn's Budget
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WBBM) -- The Illinois State Senate has approved a budget that would spend more than $2 billion less than Gov. Pat Quinn proposed, but Republicans say that's not enough.
WBBM Newsradio 780's Regine Schlesinger reports the Senate passed a budget largely based on spending limits already approved by the state House. It's estimated the state will take in $34.2 billion in revenue next fiscal year, and the Senate has proposed spending $33.4 billion. State Sen. Matt Murphy (R-Palatine) urged his members to vote "no" on every budget bill.
LISTEN: Newsradio 780's Regine Schlesinger reports
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"We have finally made it to that last piece of cement and concrete in the Democrat plan to make the tax increase they sold as temporary, permanent," says Murphy.
Democrats say part of the tax increase is permanent – a quarter of a percent will never go away, which is designed to pay down debt.
State Sen. Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge) also filed an amendment to spend a little more than $431 million in education and across several state agencies. That measure passed the Senate and must now be approved by the House.
It is unclear how the governor will react to the proposed budget, though in the past he has said the House's spending limits are too low.
