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Illinois Budget Deficit Heading In Wrong Direction

Brian Mackey
/
IPR

New figures from Republican Governor Bruce Rauner's administration outline just how deep Illinois' deficit is, as the state's in is seventh month without a budget. Even without a budget in place, Illinois is spending million more than last year. Despite the fact that Illinois' taking in less revenue -- the income tax rate rolled back at the start of 2015.

Altogether, Rauner's budget branch says that puts the state deficit at $4.6 billion dollars. Already, Illinois is $7 billion behind paying vendors who've done business with the state. Although the report says Rauner has a long-term goal of eliminating that backlog, and not allowing overdue bills to accumulate in the future, the opposite is occurring right now.

The new assumptions say that without spending cuts or a tax hike, that figure will rise to historic highs and come 2019 will "mushroom to nearly three-fourths" of the state's forecasted revenue for the year.

Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.
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