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Description:
Governor Pat Quinn will deliver his annual budget message to a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly this Wednesday, February 16. The Governor is expected to ask lawmakers to approve an $8.7-billion borrowing plan to pay overdue bills and a one dollar per pack increase on cigarettes to help fund state programs. The Governor's speech comes a month and a half after Democrats in the Illinois House and Senate passed a 67-percent increase in the state's income tax to help partially close an estimated $15-billion budget gap. Despite the tax increase, the Governor is predicting a lean budget year for the state and is expected to recommend further cuts in state spending. This week's episode of WSIU InFocus will be devoted to gathering reaction from Southern Illinois legislators to the Governor's proposal.

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Link To video segment:
http://www3.wsiu.org/television/infocusarchive/detailinfo.php?record=450 Episode: 606