Governor Pat Quinn presented a Fiscal
Year 2014 budget address on Wednesday which calls for an increase in spending
that is almost double the amount of additional revenue that is expected to come
in next year.
The day prior to the Governor's
speech, members of the House approved resolutions that set the spending ceiling
for Fiscal Year 2014 at $35.081 billion. The revenue estimate is used during
the House’ budget process as a maximum spending limit. It was stated as the resolutions
were discussed that any spending number the Governor presented that was above
$35.081 billion would put him in direct conflict with the House. In spite of
those comments, Governor Quinn presented a spending plan that exceeds our
resolved spending limit by $500 million, and increases State spending by $1.9
billion. The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability has told
us that our revenues will only grow by $1 billion next year.
Once again, Governor Quinn is trying
to pressure lawmakers into approving higher spending by proposing painful cuts
to our state’s schools. Quinn has proposed cutting K-12 Education by $300
million and Higher Education by $50 million. Specifically, he has proposed a
regular and vocational transportation reduction of $145.6 million and a General
State Aid reduction of $150.4 million. He has proposed keeping funding for
early childhood education programs level. The proposed education cuts target
transportation funding and state aid primarily for downstate and suburban
school districts.
I was especially disappointed
Wednesday to hear about the Governor’s plans for a massive expansion of
Medicaid, an optional component of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act.
Governor Quinn wants to implement this massive Medicaid expansion just one year
after legislators worked very hard to downsize our Medicaid program to rein in
out-of-control costs. His administration has yet to fully implement the reforms
the General Assembly approved last year, and now it appears he is charging
ahead with an expansion that is not required and that we simply cannot afford.
Keep in mind that the Governor’s
budget address includes a suggested spending plan. Legislators in the House and
Senate set the appropriation levels for the different parts of the budget in
bills that go to the Governor for ultimate approval. There will be difficult
decisions made as we begin the process of setting the appropriation levels for
Fiscal Year 2014.
