Governor Launches State Budget Website

A Web site detailing Ilinois' financial outlook is now up and running. Governor Pat Quinn's office unveiled the site Wednesday.

The Website, budget.illinois.gov, opens with a video from the Governor's budget director ... David Vaught, who asks viewers, "Would you cut money from education and give more to health care? Or would reduce spending to both and spend more on road construction? Would you raise taxes? And by how much?"

Commenters can answer those questions ... or give other suggestions ... in a public comment section.

Vaught says within the first two hours ... about 250 people had done so. That's despite criticism that the graphs and figures don't make it easy enough for the average person to understand.

The site doesn't get into much detail about what the governor is planning. That will come March 10th, when Quinn gives his annual budget address.

But what it does include is telling. A reading of one table shows that the governor will suggest cutting more than two billion dollars in the next budget. Education ... from kindergarten to universities ... will have funding reduced, as well as public safety, economic development, and human services.

Vaught says it's dire, but realistic ... and says it still leaves Illinois with an 11 and a half billion dollars deficit.

Vaught says cuts will occur with or without a tax increase.