Many Illinois state agencies are bracing for budget cuts. Governor Pat Quinn’s administration, meantime, is trying to figure out how to fill an $11 billion budget hole.
David Vaught is the governor’s budget director. He’s asking state agencies to find ways to cut 14 percent.
VAUGHT: We don’t want people to, to think that this is a minor situation. It’s not. We’ve got some serious problems that involve big numbers. And so we’ve got to plan in double digits. And so to say to agencies ‘we want you to cut 10 percent’ just would not have been realistic.
Vaught says he hopes to save two billion dollars by cutting the budgets of state agencies. He’s also looking at borrowing more money and raising taxes.