SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers like that Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn made budget information available to lawmakers and the public.  But lawmakers fear that information could be rendered useless by next month, when Quinn delivers his budget agenda.

Quinn’s office proposed figures of how much the state could allocate to different services, such as education and health care, but did not provide a breakdown of those allocations.

State Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, did not think the online information would affect budget negotiations among lawmakers.

“The parameters that he’s outlined online does allow the public to have some exposure to something they haven’t had before, but I’m not sure that that’s really going to bring us any closer to conclusion,” he said. “I think the idea of the public having the opportunity to post their opinions and input — that is all very good. One more time though, I don’t know that it’ll bring us any closer to conclusion.”

The state is facing a shortfall of more than $12 billion for its upcoming budget.

Lawmakers will negotiate the budget in the upcoming months, but most acknowledged they will have to wait until Quinn’s budget speech on March 10 before diving into negotiations.

State Rep. Al Riley, D-Hazel Crest, said lawmakers could use the online information to prepare for Quinn’s budget agenda.

“It gives us some guidance to go forward. I think we have an idea of what he’s planning on doing on March 10,” he said. “I think by putting it out there early was a good thing.”

State Rep. David Leitch, R-Peoria, said the online information would provide some bad news for constituents.

“I think it’s helpful that the public understand better the depth of the mess that has been created here in the last eight years and understand the very painful time we’re going to have this year,” he said.

In recent years, lawmakers have gone well into summer, past the scheduled end of the legislative session, to work out the budget.

Last year, Quinn pushed for an income tax increase to bring in new revenue, but the Illinois House balked at the proposal.

Democrats with an extraordinary majority in the state Senate passed a different proposal for a tax hike last year without Republican support. The House has not debated the proposal.

State Rep. Jim Watson, R-Jacksonville, is hoping the online information is a sign that the Quinn administration remains transparent with the budget.

“I do hope we have some sunshine, maybe two days, three days, four days of sunshine before we actually have to vote on the budget. That would also be very helpful,” he said. “Traditionally we get the budget the night before and it’s a 1,000-page document and it’s just impossible to go through it and vote on it the next day. Hopefully this is a trend that will continue.”

State Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, said lawmakers could make more informed decisions on the budget with the help of public input.

“There are a lot of armchair quarterbacks out there. I invite them to go that Web site to take a look and give their two cents,” he said.