SPRINGFIELD -- It might be weeks - or longer - until lawmakers and Gov. Pat Quinn find an even temporary solution to the state's money troubles.

But lawmakers have been getting phone calls at their district offices for weeks from people who depend on state support. With the state's fiscal year ended as of Tuesday night, people who need state support to take care of seniors and the disabled fear for their jobs.

Still, rank-and-file lawmakers remain at odds. Not enough of them support an income tax hike Quinn wants in order to fill the state's deep deficit. But few want the drastically cut services that would come with massive budget cuts.

On Wednesday, Quinn vetoed a spending plan that could have cut services significantly.

"We will not relax in our battle to have a balanced budget," Quinn said.

That means lawmakers will have to return to Springfield at some point this month to either override Quinn or come up with something completely different.

Despite the uncertainty, lawmakers have to keep people who depend on state money informed.

State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, said he spent much of Wednesday fielding calls from social service providers who are scrambling to figure out if they should continue operating on the promise that they may get paid once a budget is in place.

"Obviously, it could have been handled a lot differently," Dan Brady said. "A lot of these places already let people go."

Dan Brady said he hopes lawmakers override Quinn's veto of the budget when they return July 14. He believes that would give the General Assembly time to work out a long-term budget solution that avoids a protracted shut down.

It's unclear what about budget negotiations will change between now and July 14. State Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, argued if lawmakers plan to override Quinn's veto, they should do it now.

"I don't know what's going to take a week and a half to figure out," Rutherford said.

State Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, agreed, saying the lack of a budget leaves social service agencies without spending authority.

"The governor needs to act decisively, stop being afraid of the House speaker and Senate president and bring them (lawmakers) back to the Capitol to finish their work," Bill Brady said.

Quinn continues to push for an income tax hike, but Republicans say they'll withhold support until the state reforms some of its programs. They say that without major changes, the money created by a tax increase eventually will be useless as costs in government rise.

At a news conference Wednesday in Bloomington, Rutherford said Illinois government should become a fiscally "lean, mean fighting machine" before asking for more in income taxes.

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