DANVILLE — Local legislators and county officials are holding their breath as they await Wednesday’s budget message from Gov. Pat Quinn.

The speech is expected to include more support from the governor for an income tax increase to help the state out of its current fiscal crisis. That is combined with an expected call for cuts in education, state law enforcement and human services.

Like much of the state, Vermilion County has caught some of the fallout from the budget crisis with three programs and 12 positions at the health department already eliminated. John Dreher, vice chairman of the Vermilion County Board, said he is not terribly optimistic of what Quinn is expected to propose.

And it being an election year makes the optimism no easier.

“He’s no different than anyone else” in Springfield, Dreher said. “He’s caught between reality and a campaign.”

Quinn’s Republican opponent Bill Brady has already spoken out against an income tax increase. The state is currently facing a $13 billion deficit.

According to Dreher, it would take almost a year before an income tax increase would begin to work against the state’s deficit.

State Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Champaign, said the fact it’s a campaign year is not a reason to soften the stance on Quinn’s budget message.

“It’s difficult, but that’s why I’m hoping to hear some leadership,” he said, adding the governor “knows what needs to be done, not what’s politically popular.”

Frerichs admits he is a reluctant proponent of service cuts in the state.

“I hope not to have to make those cuts,” he said. “But the enormity of this situation means that everyone is going to have to sacrifice. There are going to be cuts everywhere until we find some new revenue.”

Frerichs said Quinn should offer long-term revenue solutions to the problem, whether its gambling or tax increases. None of the ideas brought up so far, however, seem to be popular.

Longtime State Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, said the budget crisis is not Quinn’s fault, putting blame on spending during the years of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

That said, Black stressed he wants to hear Quinn acknowledge the severity of the budget crisis and not try to “gloss it over.”

“Please, please, please, don’t say the income tax increase is going to bail us out,” Black said. “It’s going to be a two to three year struggle at least.”

He pointed out the state government needs to look at all areas to eliminate more convenience spending among the government offices, ranging from the state’s motor pool to its fleet of four executive jets.

“All of these things don’t add up to $13 billion, but if you want to fill in the Grand Canyon, you start one shovel at a time and eventually you make a difference,” he said.

Black questioned how much an income tax increase would work for Illinois right now because of a lack of jobs. Such a situation, he estimated, could shave as much as a $1 billion off the governor’s estimated tax increase revenue.

Vermilion County Republican Party Chairman Craig Golden doesn’t expect people to accept the idea of an income tax increase right now.

“The citizens are looking for how we can get the people back to work,” he said.

Don Dunavan, Democrat Party chairman in Vermilion County, could not be reached for comment.