Senate approves $1B less for spending number

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Illinois Senate is predicting $1 billion less to spend in the state’s upcoming budget year.

The Senate approved a resolution Thursday by a vote of 38-17 to set the revenue level at $34.5 billion - about 3 percent less than the number on which the current budget is based.

The House approved the resolution lasts month. It serves as a guide for the budget year that begins July 1.

But Republican Sen. Matt Murphy of Palatine (PAL’-uh-tyne) says majority Democrats set the number artificially low so they can justify extending an income tax increase that expires in January.

Democrats say the loss of the increased income-tax revenue and increased expenses for essential services would produce a $3 billion hole mid-year.