Ill. House OKs borrowing, emergency budget plan
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- The Illinois House approved a new state budget Tuesday that would borrow billions of dollars, give the governor broad new control over spending and leave a mountain of unpaid bills at the end of the year. Republicans, and one or two Democrats, condemned the proposed budget as an irresponsible mish-mash of gimmicks and shady maneuvers. House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, called it "a budget that has a lot of duct tape around it. ... It doesn't really add up, but that's what we've grown accustomed to in the state of Illinois." Democratic leaders, however, defended it as the only realistic option when the state faces a $13 billion deficit but legislators reject both raising taxes and slashing spending. "The dollars aren't there," said Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley. "We're left with very limited options and difficult choices." Gov. Pat Quinn's office said spendi...