Quinn: Gov's budget cuts 'petty and vindictive'

SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn says cuts to his and other statewide officials' budgets were "petty and vindictive."

Governor Rod Blagojevich cut 17 percent from Quinn's budget and millions of dollars from other constitutional officers' accounts as part of a $1.4 billion reduction of the state budget the General Assembly sent him.

Quinn told The Associated Press he has no trouble cutting spending in troubled times. But he says Blagojevich should have given him and others the chance to cut themselves and that the governor should have reduced his own budget by the same percentage as the others.

Quinn says Blagojevich is striking back because Quinn supported changing the Constitution to allow voters to recall a governor.

The governor's office hasn't returned a call seeking comment.