By Jacque Day
Illinois – Education and human services take the biggest hit in the budget approved this week by Illinois lawmakers. Money to pay state employees is slashed, too, although the state has a no-layoff agreement with government unions. The budget won't help those waiting months to be paid for services provided to the state. Lawmakers took no steps to catch up on more than $6 billion dollars in overdue bills, insisting they had no choice but to rein in spending. Anything else would have deepened Illinois' financial hole. Governor Pat Quinn says that the legislature cut programs vital to keeping Illinois strong.