Quinn to address joint session

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Gov. Pat Quinn has suddenly scheduled a speech to the Illinois House and Senate for Tuesday afternoon, just hours before the state budget expires.

Quinn has been urging lawmakers for months to raise income taxes as part of a solution to the state's massive budget deficit.

But lawmakers have balked at that. So far, they have passed measures to slash spending on human services and to borrow money.

Even those steps wouldn't close the deficit completely, however.

The Democratic governor is likely to urge legislators to reconsider cuts that would hurt the state's poor and needy.

The new budget year begins at midnight, but officials are far from agreeing on a spending plan.