Institute Live Tweets Gov. Quinn’s Budget Address Today at Noon

As the governor delivers the budget address today, the Institute will have ongoing commentary on our Twitter page. View here.

by Wesley Fox

Gov. Quinn will deliver his much anticipated budget address noon today. The Governor’s address can be viewed live here on ABC 7-Chicago.

As the governor delivers the budget address, the Institute will have ongoing commentary on our Twitter page, http://twitter.com/illinoispolicy.

Here’s what we think the budget will look like:

• More borrowing
• More spending
• Revenue shortfall
• More tax increases on the horizon
• All indicators pointing to the January tax increases becoming permanent

What we want the budget to look like:

• Spending freeze; all revenues above budget used to pay down past due debt
• Budget cuts statewide
• No raises for public officials
• Right-sizing government pay with private sector salaries
• Less pork, such as:
  • $1.6 million for capital improvements to Lincoln Park Zoo
  • $3.3 million for attracting waterfowl and improving public migratory waterfowl areas
  • $15.6 million for capital improvements to the Chicago Zoological
    Society, which had a fund balance of $134,870,213 on December 31, 2008

NEWS MEDIA: Policy experts at the Institute will be available to answer
questions about the budget and provide analysis and critique. For
interviews, contact Manager of Media Relations Diana Rickert at
312-607-4977 or diana@illinoispolicy.org