SPRINGFIELD (AP) — The Illinois comptroller's office is sitting on nearly $4.3 billion in overdue bills and other departments are behind on their bills because the state doesn't have the money to make good on its debts, Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka said Wednesday.

The total backlog of Illinois' unpaid obligations comes to about $8.5 billion, according to the latest report from Topinka's office.

That means organizations that provide services for the state — from businesses to hospitals to charity groups — must wait months to be paid for their work. Topinka's office is still paying bills that date back to Sept. 1.