Article updated: 1/24/2012 8:23 PM

Madigan discusses state budget deficit

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Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan said “budget makers in Springfield must learn to live within their means” during a speech Tuesday in Elmhurst. But he gave no examples of where the state could trim expenses and didn’t address whether the state should borrow more money to help pay a backlog of millions of dollars in unpaid bills owed to vendors.

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Illinois is in for a long haul when it comes to pulling itself out of its financial mess, but lawmakers made a good start by passing a budget for this fiscal year that was $2 billion below the amount requested by Gov. Pat Quinn, House Speaker Michael Madigan said Tuesday during a speech a week before the legislature returns to Springfield for its spring session.