Illinois' Quinn calls for cuts

SPRINGFIELD, Ill (WTHI) - Two months after approving broad tax increases, Illinois governor Pat Quinn proposed spending cuts to various state agencies in a proposed budget released Wednesday.

Those cuts to individual agencies total nearly $1 billion dollars, but overall state spending would still increase by about $1.7 billion under the plan.

State leaders have struggled to fill a $15 billion budget shortfall.

“Our commitment to taxpayers is simple: we will only use tax dollars to provide necessary state services,” Quinn said during his budget speech at the Illinois capitol. “All unnecessary state spending will be eliminated.”

Among the spending Quinn proposed eliminating:

-$14 million for regional offices of education

-$95 million to help school districts pay for buses

-$20 million for Illinois Department of Natural Resources

-$600,000 for soil and water conservation districts

He also proposed:

-A hiring freeze for state police officers, expected to save $10 million.

-Reducing Medicaid rates to save $552 million.

State Republican leaders said, while they supported the governor’s interest in reducing spending, they did not think he cut enough and they criticized the governor’s proposal for borrowing $8.7 billion to pay off the state’s bills.

The governor also called for consolidation of school districts, a move he said could save the state $100 million.

“Illinois currently has 868 school districts, and our fiscal reality demands consolidation,” Quinn said. “I am proposing the formation of a commission that will review the number of school districts in our state.”

The state has called for widespread consolidation before, in the mid 1980s.

Residents of Westfield, IL said losing their elementary and high schools to a consolidation with nearby Casey, IL had a severe cultural effect on their community.

“(The schools) held everybody together with the ball games and the community dinners and things like that,” said Diane McHenry. “After (losing the school) it just kind of dies on its feet.”

McHenry said consolidation ultimately made for a better education for Westfield students.

“Now everything’s great,” she said. “The kids are getting a good education.”