June 30,
2011
To the
Honorable Members of
The Illinois House of Representatives,
97th
General Assembly:
House Bill
3717 appropriates money for the operation of state government for fiscal year
2012. As public servants, we have the unique opportunity to revive our
economy while enacting reforms that will create jobs, educate our youth,
protect our most vulnerable and keep our communities safe. Implementing the
budget is not a one-day event, but rather, like budgeting, a year-round
process, filled with robust debate and difficult decisions. Indeed, while
budgets are often viewed in the context of a single fiscal year, budgetary
decisions made in any given fiscal year can have long-term consequences that
impact and often limit budgetary options and decision-making in future fiscal
years. With this in mind, and after carefully reviewing the budget passed by
the General Assembly, I have identified areas for further development,
improvement and reduction.
Today I am
enacting a $32.987 billion fiscal year 2012 general revenue funds budget. Overall,
I am reducing the budget passed by the General Assembly by $376,438,750 in
general funds and $336,158,900 in other state funds, for a total overall budget
reduction of $712,597,650. We need to come together to reduce our growing
Medicaid liabilities to address the fact that the General Assembly shifted $1.2
billion of fiscal year 2012 Medicaid costs into fiscal year 2013. Neglecting
our bills today only creates bigger problems for
tomorrow—an ill-advised strategy that, together with the poor fiscal discipline
exercised by previous administrations, has created and will exacerbate the
staggering backlog of unpaid bills we face today. With these reductions, I am implementing
smart efficiencies and reforms that will support Illinois on its continuing
path to fiscal and economic recovery.
Illinois leads the Midwest in job creation,
creating more than 100,000 jobs since January 2010. Also in 2010, Illinois exports, which support more than half a million Illinois jobs, increased by 20
percent.
We need to
invest in education by reducing high administrative costs and reallocating
those funds to the classroom, particularly in early childhood education and
general state aid. I have also emphasized the need to protect our most
vulnerable, our veterans, and those who put their lives on the line to keep our
communities safe.
I
look forward to continued work with all four caucuses to discuss the serious
challenges of stabilizing our budget and creating jobs, as well as the
important and ongoing issues surrounding payment of Illinois’ overdue bills.
With
respect to House Bill 3717, I have reduced the line item appropriation for Medical
Assistance: Hospitals by $276,000,000 to achieve additional cost savings.
Therefore,
pursuant to Article IV, Section 9(d) of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I
hereby return House Bill 3717, entitled “AN ACT making appropriations” with reduction
vetoes in appropriations totaling $276,000,000.
Reduction
I
hereby reduce the appropriation item listed below and approve each item in the
amount set forth in the “Reduced Amount” column below:
Article
|
Section
|
Page
|
Line(s)
|
Amount
Enacted
|
Reduced Amount
|
6
|
15
|
30
|
12
|
|
|
|
2,260,976,500
|
1,984,976,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In
addition to this specific reduction, I hereby approve all other appropriation
items in House Bill 3717.
Sincerely,
Pat Quinn
Governor