Illinois Governor Discusses Budget Plan

SPRINGFIELD, ILL (WIBQ)-Get ready to either pay more taxes in Illinois or lose thousands of teachers.

Governor Pat Quinn outlined his budget plan Wednesday to deal with the state's deficit.

But most lawmakers don't want to approve layoffs or tax increases in a recession.

The recession has put Illinois 13-billion dollars over budget. So Governor Quinn proposes borrowing 5-billion and making major budget cuts.

"We must reduce spending on elementary, secondary and higher education by 1.3 billion," Quinn says.

"Some cuts, they don't necessarily have to be in education, but there are some cuts to be made," says State Rep. Roger Eddy (R- Hutsonville) who also works as a school superintendent.

He worries about the proposed 17% cut to education, "I do understand the predicament we're in and everyone's going to take their lumps, I just hope there's a way to avoid it."

The Governor is offering an alternative: increase the state's personal income tax from 3 to 4 percent.