Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Gov. JB Pritzker hit the predicted marks a few weeks ago when asked about the budget.

“We’re doing our best to put together a budget that is balanced,” Pritzker said. “We’re doing our best to think about the contingencies that we might have to have as eventualities because of what we think might be coming from the Trump administration.”

Pritzker also talked about the hidden costs in the budget – the consequences of deferred maintenance, resulting in state buildings becoming worse. He cited state prisons and the former James R. Thompson Center – until recently state government’s Chicago headquarters – as examples.

The governor often brags about balancing the budget annually. Republicans have a differing viewpoint. But a longtime budget point man, Deputy Gov Andy Manar, says it’s true.

“Projected deficits under Gov. Pritzker before he took office, even for this coming fiscal year, were sizable,” Manar said this month, “and each year the governor has proposed, negotiated, and signed not just a balanced budget, but even last year a budget that produced a surplus.”

And the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget’s projections of a $3 billion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year – which starts July 1 – may be narrowing.

WTAX will broadcast the governor’s State of the State and budget speech Wednesday at noon.