A Real Path to a Brighter Tomorrow

The Governor's budget recklessly ignores the biggest problem Illinois faces: Out of control spending.

by Mark Cavers

On Tuesday, Mar. 8 we will release our “Budget Solutions 2012 – A Balanced, Line-by-Line Alternative” showing how Illinois can create a sustainable, balanced budget without relying on $8.7 billion in borrowing and $1.45 billion in deficit spending.

As soon as the Governor’s budget was released yesterday we rolled up our sleeves and started the line by line process. Budgeting is about setting priorities and making difficult choices, like we all do at home. Rather than relying on budgeting gimmicks and ignoring the real problem, we began looking to make responsible spending decisions. Here are some good places to start looking to balance the budget:

1)    Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity – We recommend cutting this entirely.

a.    Amount cut from budget’s general revenue spending FY12: $58,180,000 ($58 million)

2)    Illinois Arts Council – We recommend cutting this entirely.

a.    Amount cut from budget’s general revenue spending FY12: $9,472,000 ($9.47 million)

3)    Southwestern Illinois Development Authority – We recommend cutting this entirely.

a.    Amount cut from budget’s general revenue spending FY12: $2,107,000 ($2.1 million)

4)    Upper Illinois River Valley Development Authority. We recommend maintaining current spending levels at $293,000.

a.    Amount cut from budget’s general revenue spending FY12: $1,961,000 ($1.96 million)

5)    Department of Labor – We recommend efficiencies on last year’s budget for this line item

a.    Amount cut from budget’s general revenue spending FY12: $618,200

6)    Department of Healthcare and Family Services – We recommend a revised budget of $6,698,827,100

a.    Amount cut from budget’s general revenue spending FY12: $894,007,900 ($894 million)

Over the next three weeks the Institute’s staff will be hard at work finding a way to create a sustainable budget that is honest, fair, and innovative.  I encourage you to check back on March 8 for our complete, line-by-line “Budget Solutions 2012.”