Gov. Bruce Rauner says the state's budget deficit will be $5.4 billion. The figure is far below the $7.8 billion that the Legislature's bipartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability projects. The Republican governor and lawmakers have been unable to agree on a budget. Court-ordered spending continues, outstripping revenue.
The governor's office says there's about $1 billion in federal reimbursements, and another $800 million the commission counted on spending, but it didn't count an equal amount of revenue that would come in.
The governor's office says it expects Illinois to spend $250 million less than planned and a state law reduces Illinois' cost for the Affordable Care Act by $150 million.
