(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday made his latest plea for federal financial assistance while calling on lawmakers here to help him fix state budget problems exacerbated by the pandemic.
Pritzker said his administration has already begun executing more than $700 million in cuts across the state agencies he controls, including to the Illinois Department of Corrections. He said he plans to talk with the union AFSCME, which represents thousands of state employees, about potential furlough days to also save money.
The state is facing a budget deficit of nearly $4 billion, Pritzker said at his daily coronavirus briefing.
The Democratic governor asked state lawmakers, including Republicans, to work with him on broader "structural" budget strategies.
“Make no mistake — legislative action and engagement is required,” the governor said.
Pritzker’s latest remarks about worsening budget problems come as Congress is working on a new stimulus package that does not include financial help for local and state governments. Lack of aid from Washington puts Illinois in a bind, the governor has said, especially considering his proposed “fair tax” measure failed on the Nov. 3 ballot.
The Illinois Department of Public Health on Tuesday reported 7,359 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus, including 117 additional deaths.
On a positive note, Illinois has begun distributing the first doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine across the state.
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