Some Alarmed, Others Relieved by State Budget Cuts

Officials in schools, universities and social service agencies around the state spent Friday parsing a new state budget signed by Gov. Pat Quinn that cuts $1.4 billion in spending.

Education will lose $241 million. But Illinois Association of School Boards lobbyist Ben Schwarm says schools are relieved general state aid will remain flat. That money makes up most of what public schools have to spend. Steep cuts were feared.

The budget cuts nearly $263 million from state grants for, among other things, programs for people with mental illness and developmental disabilities.

And many schools and others note they're still waiting on money the state can't afford to pay from the last fiscal year.