As evidenced by the responses we gathered yesterday, just about every progressive group in the state agrees that Gov. Pat Quinn's budget proposal doesn't do enough to solve the state's long-term fiscal problems. Meanwhile, conservatives like GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady contend that the 1 percent income tax hike is too large and that the state could magically erase a $13 billion deficit by cutting deeper into state services and making some tweaks to the pension system.

On WTTW last night, Illinois Policy Institute director John Tillman advanced the ridiculous argument that the state's fundamental budget problem is the size of public employee pension benefits. He also once again asked supporters of an income tax increase what they want to see Illinois families cut from their own budget.  Sergeant Shriver National Center on Poverty Law President John Bouman countered both points, noting that the immediate savings from pension "stabilization" will be relatively small and that some struggling families are actually picking up second jobs to "raise their revenue." Watch it: