Illinois Borrows $1.1-Million From Charity Funds

Facing a multibillion-dollar budget deficit, the state of Illinois has borrowed more than $1-million this fiscal year from money state taxpayers had designated for charities, according to the Associated Press.

The $1.17-million borrowed was done at the behest of state legislators, who agreed to the plan to help close Illinois’ budget gap. A spokeswoman for the state’s Office of Management and Budget said the state is due to repay the funds, with interest, within 18 months. The state residents can designate the money on their tax forms each year.

However, officials from some of the charities that were designated as beneficiaries for the money expressed doubt about the plan.

“My concern is that the taxpayers don’t know that they’re donating to charities that don’t even get their money. It just seems really inappropriate to use charities to pull money in, and then pull that money out to pay for bills,” said Stephanie Record, head of the Crisis Nursery of Champaign County. “This is crazy.”

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