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State comptroller gives even worse fiscal report
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Mike Riopell
mike.riopell@lee.net

SPRINGFIELD -- A week before Gov. Rod Blagojevich is scheduled to lay out his budget plans for the new year, the official who controls the state checkbook is warning of big financial problems.

State Comptroller Dan Hynes released a report Monday saying the state is carrying a large deficit and could face more trouble with an economic recession perhaps on its way.

The general message is one Hynes has sent before, but Monday’s report comes as Blagojevich’s annual budget speech is set for next week. Last year, the governor’s plans to tax businesses and provide health insurance to more people sparked a months-long battle that only recently ended.

“It is my hope that this sobering report will serve as an impetus for cooperation and determined action as the state enters an extraordinarily challenging period,” Hynes said in a letter to lawmakers.

A spokeswoman for Blagojevich, though, said it’s hard to know whether Hynes’ projections are accurate because he didn’t share the report.

“We just don’t know how they came up with their numbers,” said Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff.

She said lawmakers approved a budget last year based on “inflated” predictions of how much money the state would take in. If the state’s coming up short, Ottenhoff says, lawmakers this year will have to act to find that money.

A spokeswoman for Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, said the report’s warnings echoed what Republicans have been trying to say for a while.

“It could have been written by Sen. Watson and the Senate Republicans,” said Watson spokeswoman Patty Schuh. “These are not new concepts.”

Blagojevich is scheduled to deliver his annual budget address Feb. 20.

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Reader comments on this story - 9 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

constant fighting wrote on Feb 12, 2008 10:20 PM:

" You know if politicians took office to actually represent us instead of getting in there to "fight for their party" something productive might get done. It's become a sport...and not an entertaining one either. "

To This is a sample wrote on Feb 12, 2008 5:51 PM:

" You gotta be joking, this is the result of one year of a Democratic Congress? That's a BIIIG stretch by anybody's standards. You could write jokes for Reader's Digest! "

These are all lies! wrote on Feb 12, 2008 5:48 PM:

" Our Glorious Leader, President George W. Bush, paints a very rosy picture of our robust economy. I would rather look at his rosy picture than listen to some un-American nay-sayer! "

to This is a sample wrote on Feb 12, 2008 1:01 PM:

" "Conservative" Republicans are doing even worse at the Federal Level. When is Georgie going to approve a bill to raise the debt ceiling past $9 trillion?

Besides, these "liberal" Democrats have done what no Republican Administration in Illinois has done - not raised taxes. A lot of our fiscal problems could be solved by a minor increase in state income taxes, but they haven't done it. If they did, you'd be complaining about that.

Why aren't you in Iraq, Mr. Republican? "

This is a sample wrote on Feb 12, 2008 8:08 AM:

" Of what happens to your economy when the liberal democrats are in charge. Maybe if they'd deport the 2.1 million illegals in Chicago, ground the plane and perks for the governor and make the people on welfare work there just might be a chance of recovery or at least a start.
The entire US has gone to crap since the liberals took power in ht e US house and senate just over a year ago. All they care about is getting those welfare checks to their voters. "

Way to Go, Blago! wrote on Feb 12, 2008 7:00 AM:

" Gonna be hard to read that report with your head in the sand, Elvis. "

Spending wrote on Feb 12, 2008 6:44 AM:

" Why don't the start over from scratch cut all hand outs grants, just use the bare min for a couple years "

ohno wrote on Feb 12, 2008 6:43 AM:

" once again our wonderful gov. can't take advice. this guy needs to be shown the door. if a ceo ran a business the same way rod runs the state he would be fired. "

Bloomington wrote on Feb 12, 2008 5:55 AM:

" doesn't have a problem! Wait until the state finishes keel hauling us. I can't wait for Obama to be elected and Blago to name himself our new senator from Illinois. Then we will be complaining about Gov. Pat Quinn, perhaps it is time to pack our bags. "
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