Quinn Shelving Tax Increase Push Until Fall

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is putting aside his call for an income tax increase until November.

In an interview Friday with The Associated Press, Quinn said he now wants to pass a state budget with significant spending cuts. Then in November, he would ask lawmakers to choose between balancing the budget by cutting even further or by raising taxes.

Quinn said delaying the decision for five months would provide time to study Medicaid spending, pension reforms and other cost-cutting measures.

Then officials would be in a better position to decide the best way to finish erasing a roughly $11.6 billion budget deficit.

The Democratic governor says he'll ask lawmakers to consider the idea when they return to Springfield next week.

-ASSOCIATED PRESS

Comments

[Rayme]

Raising taxes is theft, it's always been theft, but with people having less and less to spend these days and paying down debt and worrying about whether or not they will have a job tomorrow. Government should downsize, not super size in this economy, Quinn and all tax raising politicians are just pissing the people off at this point, I hope that they are prepared for the massive backlash coming their way.

[coolhandluke2]

The recession has hit us hard with the house not being worth as much and me having to print coupons from www.slickbudget.com for a couple of hours today just to save some money. It is a pain and now they want to increase taxes. Why is it when a recession hits, families save money but the governement just tries to raise taxes?

[JohnSidneyMartin]

I don't understand why Quinn wants to put it off. The longer they wait the bigger the budget deficit will be. We are actually worst off than Cali. which has three times more people but just a little more then twice the deficit. Crank up the I.O.U printer.

[crookedcountyillinois]

I won't be shelving my Quinn "push" until Fall. Go!!! Quinn!!!! Go!!!!