SPRINGFIELD - Gov. Rod Blagojevich has put another 450 jobs on the chopping block as part of his latest budget feud with lawmakers.

Workers at the University of Illinois Extension program have been told there may not be money to pay them after May 1 because the governor is threatening to withhold an estimated $18 million.

The Extension serves an estimated 2.5 million residents each year, including nearly 300,000 youths who take part in 4-H programs. It has 77 offices located in Central Illinois and throughout the state.

"We were alerted last week (to) not expect that these funds will be coming from the state," said Tom Hardy, spokesman for the University of Illinois, which oversees the extension programs.

Faced with what he claims is a $750 million shortfall in funds, the governor has begun threatening to financially squeeze a number of state programs in hopes of convincing the Illinois House to give him more money.

He earlier said June payments to state universities may cut. Soil and water conservation districts also could lose $11 million. Some vehicles used by the Illinois Department of Corrections aren't being repaired.

Lawmakers have been reluctant to give the governor more money, fearing he will use the extra cash to expand health care programs, rather than pay off a growing backlog of existing bills to hospitals, nursing homes and other state vendors.

They also remain peeved that the governor cut money for their special projects last year, saying he should use that $463 million to help close the budget hole.

State Rep. Bob Flider, D-Mount Zion, said the governor's proposed budget cuts appear to be focused on programs and people who live south of Interstate 80.

Advocacy groups urged the governor to not cut the funding.

"The funds for Extension/4-H and other ag programs were approved by the General Assembly and the governor and we respectfully request that the funding be honored," noted Kevin Semlow, director of state legislation for the Illinois Farm Bureau.

Workers at the county Extension offices referred questions about the possible job cuts to Hardy. The program is paid for with a mix of state, federal, county and university funding.

"We're hopeful of working with the state legislature and the administration to retain most or all of what was budgeted for fiscal 2008," Hardy said in an e-mail Monday.

The governor's office contends lawmakers made faulty revenue estimates when they approved the budget, leaving the state short of cash.

"We are 'holding' grants, waiting for the General Assembly to pass new revenue to cover the spending they approved in FY08. If they do not, everything could be at risk," Blagojevich spokeswoman Kelley Quinn wrote in an e-mail.

But rank-and-file lawmakers wondered Monday whether Blagojevich has already spent money originally earmarked for the Extension program.

"I'm going to guess that the money has been spent somewhere else," said state Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville.

Said Flider, "It's really unconscionable what's been happening."