Quinn: Wisdom of Solomon needed on budget

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, surrounded by legislators, hands a pen to an audience member after signing one of several measures that make up a $31 billion construction plan on Monday, July 13, 2009, in Chicago. The construction plan includes money for everything from bicycle trails and university buildings to a major overhaul of Illinois highways.
AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast

CHICAGO — Gov. Pat Quinn says he needs the wisdom of the biblical King Solomon to figure out how to stretch the state's money.

Quinn said Thursday his administration would work in the coming weeks to prioritize programs and services as the state grapples with making budget cuts.

Quinn compared the difficult choices he has to make to the biblical story of Solomon. Solomon once offered to settle a dispute between two women claiming to be the mother of a baby by splitting the baby in half.

Quinn already has promised $1 billion in cuts and lawmakers have given him the authority to make another $1 billion more plus shift money around in the budget to use it as he sees fit.

Quinn said priorities would be "core functions" but he didn't elaborate on those.