Illinois Public Radio

If Governor Pat Quinn's agreement with AFSCME, Illinois' largest public employee union, goes through, new employees will be treated differently than those already on the payroll. 

Union members get pay boosts the longer they work for the state. Quinn's Chief of Staff Jack Lavin, says it will take longer for new hires to reach those step increases, and he says they'll start off making less too. 

"To achieve the top of that job classification it was previously eight years, now it’ll be 11 years," said Lavin. "So new employees will start at a lower wage.”

Reporting from Illinois Public Radio's Amanda Vinicky.

In his annual budget address today, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn laid the blame on the General Assembly for forcing him to cut spending on schools and other key state priorities. Quinn says the cost of pensions is "squeezing" Illinois' finances, to the point that he's calling for a $400 million hit to education.

(Read the full text of the governor's prepared remarks) 

Reporting in part from Illinois Public Radio's Amanda Vinicky. Last update 4:04 p.m.

Legislation to expand gambling the General Assembly approved nearly two years ago is finally dead. Governor Pat Quinn vetoed a measure that would have given Illinois five new casinos.

When Governor Quinn gives his annual budget address later this week, he's expected to highlight Illinois' plethora of financial problems.

Illinois has once again run out money to help needy students go to college. The cutoff to be considered for a MAP grant expired over the weekend.

If students didn't have their financial aid application in by Friday, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission says it probably won't have enough money to give them a Monetary Award Program, or MAP Grant.

Commission spokesman John Samuels, says March 1 is the earliest the state has run out of money for the program.

Ill. Governor Pat Quinn will present his budget address in Springfield on Wednesday.

The state is reported to have the worst-funded pension system in the country - and has about $97 billion in unfunded obligations.

"Obviously, our pension reform will be part of the address, the need for getting that done right and getting it done now," said Quinn.

Quinn has said the pensions are unsustainable and are taking money away from other key government services.