After much debate, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed a budget last week. Despite Governor Quinn initially advocating for an income tax increase to help balance the state's $11.6 billion shortfall, the budget that passed didn't include a tax hike and instead relied heavily on borrowing, delaying payment to vendors and spending cuts. The Senate voted 45-10 for the key funding piece of the budget, while the House supported it 90-22. Despite this disappointing news, Senate President John Cullerton has said that his "primary purpose" starting next year is an overhaul of the state's tax structure. Here's hoping Senator Cullerton gets some inspiration from ITEP's recent report: Ready, Set, Reform: How the Income Tax Can Help Make the Illinois Tax System Fairer and More Sustainable.