On the first day of Fiscal Year 2011, Governor Quinn finally made public his plans for the coming year’s budget.  Although his plan makes severe cuts to a number of programs, agencies, and state bureaucracy, it maintains funding for key state funded initiatives.  

Throughout the legislative session, the Senate Democrats sought to find responsible budget solutions that included a shared sacrifice amongst state agencies and legislators.  Our caucus has always maintained a serious commitment to finding short-term and long-term solutions to stabilize the state budget without severely slashing education funding.

Absent the willingness by Lawmakers outside the caucus to increase revenues, the General Assembly acted by passing a budget to Governor Quinn that lived within its financial means, cutting the bureaucracy from government and lowering state spending by 5 percent while stabilizing funding for critical programs.   

Having announced earlier this week his plans to make cuts to the Fiscal 2011 budget, Governor Quinn detailed his planned cuts in a news conference in Chicago today.  At the press event, Quinn somewhat maintained his commitment to education funding, stabilizing funding levels for general state aid, early childhood programs and special education, a small victory considering the dramatic loss of revenue Illinois has experienced since 2008.  This prevents the threat of a massive layoff of teachers and education professionals that some estimated could have exceeded 20,000.  Bi-lingual and afterschool programs were held flat; however, important provisions, like “hold harmless” were eliminated completely. 

Governor Quinn cut state spending by $476 million today, with plans to reduce state spending by an additional $1 billion by the end of FY11.  Notable reductions from the FY11 budget made by Governor Quinn include $86.8 million reduction in Higher Education – most of which was supplemental funding from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act implemented by the Federal Government last year.   The Department of Human Services saw a $312 million decrease in funding, mostly in operations cost and grants.  Legislators, constitutional officers, and high-ranking state officials will still be mandated to take 12 unpaid furlough days and will not receive cost of living adjustments. 

Senate Democrats remain committed to preserving the important role of critical programs and will review the Governor’s actions and how they affect those most in need.