Right now the state of Illinois owes $7.8 billion dollars in backlogged bills. 

Those pending payments do not include $2.4 billion of short-term borrowing the state used to cover initial expenses when the pandemic blew a hole in revenue projections. Comptroller Susana Mendoza says 10 months ago the state was making good progress on paying down existing bills and then COVID-19 changed everything.

The state may own billions right now – but in June of 2017, Illinois’ backlog was twice what it is currently.