SPRINGFIELD (AP) – Gov. Pat Quinn proposed severe spending restrictions Wednesday telling a joint session of the General Assembly that the state is virtually paralyzed until it fixes its public employee pension crisis.

With a scolding tone, the Democrat facing re-election in 20 months used tough language to describe the pension hole that will suck nearly $7 billion of the state’s general revenue in the coming year. He challenged lawmakers to send him a legislative fix and answered critics by laying out specific provisions he wants to be part of the solution.

“This is the most difficult budget Illinois has ever faced, and it is only a preview of the pain that is to come if this General Assembly does not act decisively on comprehensive pension reform,” Quinn said in a 30-minute address that focused almost entirely on the pension mess.