By Rebecca Feldhaus/AP
Springfield, IL – Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is urging lawmakers to raise income taxes to avoid deep cuts in spending on schools and colleges. Quinn proposed a one percent increase during a brief budget speech to the General Assembly today. The Democratic governor did not say how much money the increase would raise or what he means by a tax "surcharge." He says, however, the increase would be enough to avoid the $1.3 billion in education cuts that his budget calls for.