As the governor and legislature have grappled in a historic death match over their views of how to sync our policy desires and our resources, many wonder if there is something especially daunting about budgeting in the Prairie State.

While state leaders haggle over next year's budget, Illinois' $111 billion unfunded pension liabilty remains the elephant in the room.  Don Boyd is a senior fellow at the Rockefeller Institute in Albany, New York, and studies state finance with a focus on pensions.  Boyd spoke with Morning Edition Host Brian Moline about the causes of the shortfall and some possible solutions.