Once a state budget is approved, the governor has only limited power to change spending levels. Blagojevich says he and other statewide officials now need additional power if they're going to close the budget deficit.
The request for more authority is likely to be met with skepticism by lawmakers. Few of them trust Blagojevich.
Blagojevich is also talking about borrowing money and seeking federal help to close the gap, which he estimates at $2 billion.