Illinois Auditor General William Holland released a report Thursday which announced the state’s overall budget deficit has more than doubled in the past five years.

The audit report analyzed the Illinois State Comptroller’s comprehensive annual financial report which lists all state government assets and liabilities for fiscal year 2011.

The report said Illinois is now $43.8 billion in the red, making it the worst state budget deficit in the nation.

Brad Hahn, a spokesperson for Illinois State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka, said legislators took positive steps during the spring session to address the deficit, but he said the state faces a “colossal mess” and has a long way to go.

“Comptroller Topinka is once again warning that’s it’s another cautionary note, that the state needs to reign in spending and address growing costs like Medicaid and pensions that are devouring the state budget,” Hahn said.