Dedicated discussion towards cuts and reforms and education spending were the highlights to Governor Bruce Rauner's budget address Wednesday afternoon.

Governor Bruce Rauner called on lawmakers to stop passing spending bills that are dead on arrival and to start negotiating.

The Governor says the true solution to fixing the budget is growing the state's economy.

If reforms are not passed, the Governor says big cuts are going to have to be made.

Governor Rauner proposes fulling funding General State Aid foundation level for K-12 education for the first time in seven years.

The Governor says he genuinely wants to work with lawmakers to begin turning Illinois around. He says they must take action now.

Governor Rauner is calling on the legislature to either negotiate or to give the executive branch the authority to cut spending. He says this is something that has happened in Illinois before.

Governor Rauner also called for increases in early childhood education funding and for the Senate to pass President John Cullerton's pension reform bill.