By AP
Springfield, IL – Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is proposing a budget that would cut aid to the poor, skimp on many services and count on borrowing billions of dollars to pay overdue bills. But spending would increase in some places as money from last month's income tax hike fills holes in the budget. Quinn's proposal would spare education from any dramatic cuts. However, Quinn wants to promote consolidation of small districts and make schools pay a larger share of the cost of buses. The Democratic Governor's plan came under attack even before he presented it in a speech to the General Assembly. Republicans object to the idea of borrowing money to erase the backlog of old bills and social service groups oppose further cuts.