The Illinois House took the next crucial step in passing a new state budget that reduces spending and puts Illinois’ finances on the path to recovery. State Representative Dan Brady today strongly supported passage of the budget which sets a spending figure for the state’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget at $32.9 billion – less than was spent last year, and less than Governor Pat Quinn’s spending proposal.

With the spending number now agreed to, Brady says House Appropriations Committees will begin the process of going through agency and program budgets line by line to cut approximately 5.4%. A special committee is also looking at ways to make $2.7 billion in cuts to the state’s Medicaid program, one of the fastest growing areas of the state budget.

[audio:32912BradyHR706.MP3] [/audio]

In addition to setting the FY 13 spending limit, the budget also includes language to begin paying off the state’s backlog of bills ($1.5 billion in Fiscal Year 13) and also to ensure the state makes the full pension payment required by law.